Italian police arrested eight people overnight and carried out more than 600 raids nationwide in their investigation of a pedophilia ring working between Russia and Italy, police said Wednesday.
In Moscow Russian police arrested three owners of a video distribution organization.
Russian police have been cooperating with their Italian counterparts in the investigation launched 19 months ago by the public prosecutor in Torre Annunziata, southern Italy.
More than 1,000 people have been investigated as part of the enquiry, according to the prosecutor's office.
The eight arrested overnight faces charges of acquisition, possession and distribution of child pornography.
The pedophilia ring sold videos and child pornography via the Internet.
Police carried out arrests and raids in Milan and Venice, in the north, Grossetto in central Italy and Salerno in the south -- ROME(AFP)
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