60 people were arrested and 65 victims identified in an international operation to combat sexual abuse against children

The office said in a statement that the operation, called “Eclipse,” which took place between February 2025 and January 2026, targeted the production and distribution of materials for sexual exploitation and abuse against children, with a primary focus on identifying victims and reopening long-unsolved cases.

He added that the majority of the victims were between the ages of 5 and 13, and about 80% of them were girls. The victims, who were minors at the time of the operation, were rescued and received protection and aftercare measures from national authorities.

The office explained that the alleged perpetrators’ levels of relationship with their victims varied, as they included family members, friends, neighbors, teachers, online harassers, and foreign travelers, indicating that there is no single type of sexual harasser.

Technical support, training and guidance

Operation Eclipse was coordinated by INTERPOL, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Save the Children Alliance.

The operation united law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities across Latin America to coordinate investigations, implement targeted interventions, and collect strong cross-border evidence.

INTERPOL provided critical technical support, real-time intelligence sharing, and strategic guidance throughout the operation.

At the same time, UNODC provided training, guidance and technical support to investigation and prosecution units.

Key issues

Among the main issues that were worked on in this process were:

🔹 In Panama, authorities were able to identify a victim who had remained anonymous in Interpol’s international child sexual exploitation database for more than a decade.

🔹In the Dominican Republic, two suspects were arrested for sexual abuse crimes against children, including the production and possession of child pornography.

🔹 In Costa Rica, police investigated a series of child sexual abuse materials, published in the International Child Sexual Exploitation Database, dating back more than ten years.

Cyril Gaut, Interpol’s Acting Executive Director of Police Services, said that Operation Eclipse emerges through international cooperation and specialized expertise, “It is possible to uncover cases of violations dating back years, and bring those responsible to justice, which contributes to breaking the cycle of harm.”.