46 arrested in three provinces

Police in three provinces arrested at least 46 men this week as part of an anti-child pornography opera- tion. Quebec provincial police say 26 men, aged between 17 and 84, have been charged with a range of offences, including producing and distributing child pornography. Police say there’s no link between the men who were arrested between Monday and Thursday in 19 munic- ipalities across the province. Lt. Marc-Antoine Vachon, who heads the Quebec unit that investigates online child exploitation, says two victims were identified in the prov- ince, aged 10 and 12. He says Quebec police asked colleagues in neigh- bouring provinces for assistance, and the Ontario Provincial Police arrested at least 15 men in connec- tion with the operation. Cpl. Ste- phane Esculier of the New Bruns- wick RCMP says two search war- rants were executed in that prov- ince in conjunction with the operation and two people were arrested, but no charges have yet been laid.