Moroccans among victims of pedophile network dismantled in Spain

Moroccan children and teenagers were among victims of a child pornography ring dismantled by Spanish police on Tuesday, investigators found.

The ring had distributed over the internet "more than a million photographs and videos of child pornography and more than a thousand DVDs," Spanish authorities said in a statement.

"A large part of the child pornography was produced by the criminal organisation itself," police said, exploiting socially vulnerable children in Spain and also in Morocco.

Other images were produced during trips between 2000 and 2015 to several countries, including Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Kenya, the Czech Republic and France.

Seven people suspected of exploiting at least 80 minors over a 15-year period have been arrested.

Among those arrested, who are mostly French and Moroccan nationals, was the alleged leader of the group who is suspected of "eight counts of sexual abuse of 13-year-olds," officials said.

Of the 80 victims of the pornography ring, authorities said 29 have been identified.

"Some of the children had sex with each other or with adults in exchange for money; others did so under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and were unaware that they were recording them," Spain's leading newspaper El Pais reported.

The investigation began in the northeastern city of Tortosa at a welcome centre for minors, where authorities discovered that child pornography was being staged.

That led to the arrest of three suspects - two French and one Moroccan - in May 2015.

In July, four other suspects were arrested in several regions of Spain, from Catalonia to Valencia in the east and the Basque Country in the north.

Police added that the group also intended to offer vacation packages to Morocco for pedophiles.

Police now plan action against 300 people around the world who have bought the material.