The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have acted on a tip-off from United States authorities to arrest three people in southern New South Wales in connection to the alleged production of child abuse material.
A 52-year-old man is accused of soliciting and possessing the material while a 43-year-old woman is facing charges of possessing, transmitting and participating in a sexual act for the production of child abuse material.
Both faced the Albury Local Court earlier today, where the woman was remanded in custody.
Through a second separate investigation a 56-year-old man was also arrested.
Police do not believe he is linked to the other man and woman.
The second man is facing charges of possessing child abuse material.
Both men were released on conditional bail and all three will next face the Albury Local Court in August.
The AFP said it received "a number of reports" in January from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in relation to accusations of Australians uploading child abuse material online.
Children removed from woman's custody
Detective Superintendent Paula Hudson said children have been removed from the woman as part of the operation.
"They have been removed from harm and they are now in care," she said.
All three individuals could face up to 15 years' jail time.
Detective Superintendent Hudson says the arrests should serve as a warning to anyone involved in the use of child abuse material.
"Our message to offenders are that we will de-anonymise you and we will be coming for you," she said.
"Sadly, the societal appetite for online child exploitation is very concerning and ever-increasing.
"Last year alone the AFP and Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received 17,000 reports of online child exploitation."
