Spain makes internet porn arrests

Images of abuse were heavily encrypted, police said

Spanish police have arrested 41 people accused of possessing or sharing child internet pornography.

Hundreds of hard drives and discs were seized in 59 raids which took place in 30 Spanish provinces.

Spanish police said many of the arrests were made possible by a tip-off from an Italian non-governmental organisation, called Telefono Arcobaleno.

The group warned of a German internet site which offered downloads of girls being abused by adults.

"More than half of the arrests were possible due to information from [...]Telefono Arcobaleno," Spanish police said in a statement.

The pornography was heavily encrypted and required users to download another special programme from an internet forum in order to be able to access it, Reuters reports.

Those arrested last week include farmers, architects, civil servants, computer programmers and electricians, the police said.

Police said they were examining the images to see if those caught with them in their possession also took part in the abuse.

Some of those arrested have said that they unwittingly obtained the pornographic images while trying to download games or music videos.