Operation Alice: Crackdown on 373,000 Fake CSAM Sites by Law Enforcement

Operation Alice Takes Down 373,000 Fake CSAM Sites

An extensive international law enforcement effort known as Operation Alice successfully dismantled over 373,000 dark web sites that were offering counterfeit Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) packages.

Initiated in mid-2021 and spearheaded by Germany with support from Europol, the operation targeted a platform named “Alice with Violence CP” operated by a 35-year-old individual in China.

These illicit websites promoted CSAM and cybercrime services, such as the sale of stolen credit card information and access to compromised systems.

Europol reported that the deceptive sites enticed users by showcasing previews of alleged CSAM “packages” to lure them into providing their email addresses and making payments ranging from EUR 17 to EUR 250 in Bitcoin, ultimately receiving nothing in return.

Each package was purported to cost between EUR 17 and EUR 215, offering data volumes from a few gigabytes to several terabytes of CSAM. However, these were fraudulent platforms that advertised but never delivered CSAM.

The fraudulent CSAM platform managed to deceive approximately 10,000 users into paying about $400,000 to the site operator. Out of these users, authorities identified 440 individuals across 23 countries and are currently investigating 100 of them.

Even though these individuals did not receive illegal material, their attempts to purchase CSAM still constitute financial support for child abuse and exhibit criminal intent, punishable in many jurisdictions.

At its peak, the scam network consisted of 287 servers, with a significant portion (105) located in Germany, all of which have been seized. German authorities have also issued an international arrest warrant for the Chinese operator.

Europol emphasized its broader child protection efforts, including the launch of the Help4U support platform in November 2025 and the “Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object” initiative, encouraging individuals to help identify objects seen in CSAM material to aid in perpetrator identification and child rescue.