The suspected paedophiles have been bailed to return to police stations in November while investigations continue into the global child pornography network, calling itself the "Wonderland Club".

Swoop in three continents

Police forces carried out more than 100 dawn raids in 12 countries on Wednesday after investigations in the UK and the USA produced a major breakthrough in the fight against Internet paedophilia.

Police believe the operation has struck at the heart of a major paedophile ring which was exchanging sexually explicit images of children as young as two-years-old around the world.

Arrests in the UK were made in London, Sussex, Oxford, Berkshire, Kent, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Norfolk.

Other raids took place in the United States, Australia, Italy, France, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Finland, and Portugal.

Search for vcitims

Detective Superintendent John Stewardson, who led the investigation from the UK, said their task now was to track down the victims of the ring to help bring their abusers to justice.

He said the inquiry, believed to be the biggest investigation into Internet pornography yet, had been "difficult and distressing".

The international investigation began when officers with Sussex police, south-east England, received a tip-off from US Customs officers which led them to the "Wonderland Club" network.

Aided by the National Criminal Intelligence Service, they drew in Interpol and police forces across Europe when it emerged that there was almost constant international contact over the Internet between members of the ring.