A child has been rescued by police and a man charged with dozens of offences, including allegedly sexually abusing the child and creating encrypted exploitation material that he shared with others.
Police have released video showing the 30-year-old being met at his door by police and taken into custody on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
He is facing 43 child abuse-related offences, including multiple counts of rape, indecent treatment of a child, and making and distributing child exploitation material.
He has been remanded in custody, and will face court in Gympie next month.
Police revealed nothing further about the "rescued" child but said investigations were continuing.
Detective Acting Inspector Cameron Burke said every time someone viewed or shared child exploitation images, it directly contributed to a child's suffering.
"These children are re-victimised every time someone downloads and shares an image," Acting Inspector Burke said.
Two other men were also charged, after the Child Abuse and Sexual Crime Group's Argos team executed search warrants across the Sunshine Coast as part of a five-day operation this week.
A 49-year-old Eumundi man and a 25-year-old Yandina man have also been charged with possessing and sharing child exploitation material.
They are both due to face court in Maroochydore later this month.
'Most offenders from reputable backgrounds'
Detective Inspector Phil Hurst has headed the Child Protection Investigation Unit on the Sunshine Coast for almost a decade, though he was not involved in this operation.
He said the Taskforce Argos team was among the best in the world at identifying victims.
He said investigators will have to build a case, and that involved viewing material allegedly created by the suspects.
"It's not a particularly nice job the investigators have to do by viewing and analysing data and that material, but that is really important to do to save those kids that are subject to those offences," he said.
He said while the region was known for its beaches, weather and lifestyle, abuse can happen anywhere.
"Most of the people who commit these sort of offences do come from very reputable backgrounds," he said.
"They have this dark secret where they're using child exploitation material.
"It's very difficult to find out by just talking to someone who is an offender and who is not."
