Italy probe into Telegram child abuse network leads to two arrests in Singapore

Singapore police have arrested two men, aged 27 and 33, for allegedly possessing or gaining access to child abuse material following an Italian investigation into the Telegram community New Saga, said to have more than 1,000 users worldwide. — Unsplash pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Saturday, 19 Sep 2026 4:33 PM MYT

SINGAPORE, Sept 19 — Two men have been arrested in Singapore after Italian authorities investigating an international online child abuse network passed information to local police.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed to The Straits Times today that the men, aged 27 and 33, were arrested for possessing or gaining access to child abuse material.

The SPF said it received information from Italian authorities about an operation targeting a Telegram group that shared such material, and investigations are ongoing.

The police did not disclose the men’s nationalities or whether they are known to each other.

The arrests follow an Italian investigation that led to 17 arrests on September 17, after an undercover officer infiltrated the Telegram network by gaining the trust of its administrators, AFP reported.

The operation, dubbed Fly Trap, uncovered a Telegram community known as New Saga with more than 1,000 users worldwide, while Italian authorities identified 996 accounts linked to 98 countries and shared the information with foreign authorities.

The network was run by four Italians and a Swiss national, with the investigation beginning in 2024 following a tip-off from US Homeland Security Investigations.

In Singapore, anyone convicted of possessing or gaining access to child abuse material while knowing or having reason to believe it is such material can be jailed for up to five years, fined or caned.