Use of personal credit cards to gain access to child pornography web sites has put Finnish police on the trail of 37 Finns who now face child pornography charges.
The credit cards were used for buying fixed-term memberships for exclusive web sites in 2002 and 2003.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) says that the holders of the cards face charges of possession of obscene material damaging to children.
Suspects are from all parts of Finland. The operation was the most extensive investigation into child pornography crimes in Finland.
Finnish police got the credit card information from foreign officials. The NBI is not disclosing the exact source of the information, saying only that the information did not come from the Nordic Countries.
Police in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are also investigating citizens of their respective countries who have subscribed to the same web sites. In Sweden, for instance, more than 100 people were netted in the operation.
The NBI says that the web site itself is not of Nordic origin. Finnish officials also do not believe that the Finnish suspects were in contact with each other. There is also no indication that the suspects were involved in any criminal activity other than the possession of child pornography.
Nobody has actually been arrested or detained. Simple possession of child pornography can lead to fines or up to six months' imprisonment.
Police are still sifting through the material on the confiscated computers.
"Most of the pictures are posed photos of children aged under ten and up. There has also been some more hard-core material depicting young children in sexual contact with adults", says Antti Leppilahti of the Helsinki police.
Leppilahti said that many of the suspects were surprised that the police found out about the activities. He also said that some expressed relief.
"Some have even said that they need help for their problem."
Those seeking help have been referred to sex therapists for counselling.
