NCCIA gets custody of 13 suspects in animated child sexual abuse content cases

A Karachi court has handed over 13 suspects to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on four-day physical remand in cases involving the alleged production and online sale of sexually explicit animated content, including material depicting child sexual abuse, and deceptive social media activities.

According to the NCCIA’s Karachi Zone, the suspects were arrested on Oct 23 during a raid at Rabia City in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

The operation targeted three firms suspected of producing, promoting and selling sexually explicit animated cartoons, animated child sexual abuse material and other pornographic digital content to customers abroad, alongside offering digital design services.

Officials brought the 13 suspects before a judicial magistrate in the East district and requested their custody for further investigation and to trace and arrest other alleged members of the network.

The agency told the court that mobile phones had been recovered from the suspects and that more time was needed to examine the devices and conduct forensic analysis.

The magistrate granted the NCCIA four days to question the suspects and directed officials to produce them at the next hearing along with a progress report.

The agency said 42 people, including company owners and employees, had been arrested during the operation, while 45 mobile phones were seized.

Preliminary findings suggest that the companies used organised teams of online agents to approach foreign customers through social media platforms, particularly Instagram and X, according to officials.

The agents allegedly ran multiple accounts under fictitious identities, using female names and impersonated profiles to attract clients from other countries.