By Swift Reporter
Police have uncovered what authorities describe as a major suspected online sex exploitation operation in Kyaliwajjala, following a raid that led to the rescue of more than 27 women and young girls and the recovery of electronic equipment allegedly used to produce and stream explicit content to paying audiences abroad.
The operation was carried out on the night of May 18 in Mbalwa Buyinja Zone, where heavily armed police officers and intelligence operatives raided a residential property believed to have been serving as a base for online sexual content production.
According to investigators, the house was equipped with cameras, laptops, lighting systems and other recording devices allegedly used to livestream explicit material to international subscribers. The equipment was seized as evidence as police launched a wider investigation into the suspected network.
Authorities said the women and girls found at the premises were aged between 17 and 26 years. Some were treated as victims and rescued from the operation, while others were taken into custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
Preliminary findings suggest that individuals may have been recruited through social media platforms, bars, entertainment venues and university networks with promises of quick financial rewards and improved living conditions.
One young woman who spoke to investigators described a culture of exploitation within the operation, alleging that some participants and handlers developed intimate relationships with recruits.
“In our online sex work, our colleagues become obsessed with us and start sleeping with us, while our coaches also end up doing the same. I am now on Antiretrovirals (ARVs), but I cannot trace who infected me,” she reportedly said.
Police have not independently verified the allegations, but investigators say the testimony forms part of the evidence being reviewed as they seek to establish the full extent of the operation.
Security officials believe the suspected enterprise may be linked to a broader network operating across several districts. Two key suspects identified during the investigation remain on the run, and efforts to track them down are ongoing.
The raid has renewed concerns about the growing threat of online exploitation schemes targeting young people, particularly women facing economic hardship. Law enforcement agencies have warned that criminal networks are increasingly using digital platforms to recruit vulnerable individuals under the guise of employment opportunities, modelling contracts and content creation jobs.
Police have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and to report suspicious recruitment activities to the relevant authorities.
Investigations into the suspected online exploitation ring are ongoing, with authorities expected to conduct further operations as they work to identify additional suspects and possible victims connected to the network.
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