International rape network dismantled: Hungarian police took part in operation
Police from seven countries have jointly uncovered an online network whose members drugged women with sedatives and raped them.
International rape network dismantled: Hungarian police took part in operation
Police from seven countries have jointly uncovered an online network whose members drugged women with sedatives and raped them, then shared photographs and videos of the attacks in closed chat groups. Hungarian authorities also participated in the operation, according to Telex citing CNN reporting.
The operation codenamed Medusa has been coordinated by Europol (the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation) and the British National Crime Agency (NCA) since April. The investigation has so far identified more than 150 perpetrators and victims, and has uncovered more than 270 new leads. 57 people have been arrested. According to the British agency, the actual number of crimes committed is likely to be considerably higher.
The cross-border investigation was initiated by German and British law enforcement agencies, and American, Brazilian, Canadian, French, Hungarian, Dutch and Spanish authorities also joined in. The investigation was launched following a French case: Dominique Pelicot systematically drugged his wife with sedatives over ten years, and while she was unconscious, he and men he recruited online raped her. Last December, the court sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Gisèle Pelicot, who decided to have a public trial, has become a symbol in the fight against violence against women.
During the Medusa operation, members of the criminal network discovered drugged their partners with sedatives, then coordinated attacks and encouraged one another in online groups. These closed forums provided a "safe haven" for the mainly male perpetrators, where they coordinated attacks, exchanged information, and posted images and footage of the assaults.
Most victims were unaware they had been victimised until police contacted them. The offences were generally committed by people the victims knew and trusted, and sometimes multiple perpetrators working together were involved in attacks.
Members of the network exchanged information on encrypted messaging services, forums and closed chat groups, and coordinated their crimes. They shared with one another which drugs to obtain, where to get them, how to administer them, and how to avoid being caught.
Police have warned that victims could be from any age group, social class or life situation. They are asking that anyone who suspects they have been drugged with sedatives and raped report it to the police.
Source: Telex