New Zealand Police have aided in the rescue of three children in the Philippines who were victims of sexual exploitation.
The abuse of the children was being livestreamed to international subscribers, police said.
Three children aged 4, 5, and 7 were rescued and the children's parents were arrested in the Philippines.
The abuse came to light after an investigation found "disturbing content" on a New Zealand man's computer in September 2017.
New Zealand Police shared the content with colleagues in the Philippines, who investigated and found the children were being "abused on demand" for an online audience.
After a forensic examination of the computer, a search warrant was obtained in late November by the National Bureau of Investigation in the Philippines and NGO the International Justice Mission.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Michael said "This is a crime that is often driven by poverty and abuse of children in this manner can be seen as a legitimate income source for some families."
He said a New Zealand man is currently before the courts in relation to the investigation that triggered the operation in the Philippines, but "for operational reasons we can't provide further details at this time".
"The abuse and exploitation of children for sharing online is abhorrent. While the online environment is a tool for enabling this behaviour in this day and age of modern policing it is also a means for New Zealand Police and our partners to investigate the activities and bring an end to the abuse through prosecution."
Newshub.
