The dark web site called “BoysTown” had over 400,000 active users.
German law enforcement authorities have confirmed to have taken down and seized one of the world’s biggest child abuse hosting platforms called Boystown on the dark web after a months-long investigation. This platform was active since June 2019 and boasted over 400,000 members.
Multi-National Operation
It was a large-scale operation that led to the arrest of four Germans in mid-April, 2021 Along with Boystown, authorities have taken over other chat sites on the dark web that child sexual abusers frequently used.
SEE: Dark web data center in former NATO bunker seized for hosting child abuse content
According to a Federal police statement, this platform facilitated “worldwide exchange of child abuse content.”
The investigation was led by a German task force that collaborated with Europol and law enforcement authorities’ officials from the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Canada, and the USA.
How Boystown Operated?
This forum allowed users to communicate with other users on the platform and “share graphic videos and images of sexual abuse of toddlers,” read the statement released by the authorities.
Boystown offered its users a safe haven to share recordings of minors’ abuse. The federal investigative police force of Germany regarded it as the most serious sexual abuse of minors. There were many communication channels available on the platform, and members regularly received advice from platform admins on safely accessing the site and avoiding detection.
Homepage of the BoysTown website
