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ABC News
ABC News
National

Police arrest 24 registered child sex offenders in South Australia's largest operation in recent years

South Australian police have arrested 13 sex offenders for possessing child exploitation material, in a statewide sweep during National Child Protection Week.

Over two days last week, police went to 377 addresses belonging to registered child sex offenders and searched 267 houses.

Officers looked for any evidence of breaches to the Child Sex Offenders Registration Act, which has a range of obligations from maintaining internet user accounts to having contact with children.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stephen Taylor said 62 child sex offenders were arrested or reported.

Of those 13 people allegedly possessed child exploitation material, with six of them remanded in custody to face court at a later date.

"There's certainly been one person that I'm aware of that has been saved from further abuse," Mr Taylor said.

"One person failed to provide his internet access account, some people fail to notify police of changing their vehicles, their employment conditions, any contact with children.

"But we'll anticipate further charges will probably be forthcoming once analysis of all that material is done."

Police seized dozens of computers, mobile phones, hard drives and tablets for further examination, along with two firearms and four cannabis plants.

Mr Taylor said the operation was the largest done in recent years.

"This is not unusual for us. Normally we'll hit 10 or 20 places a week every week. This is just an opportunity for us to do a large number together," he said.

"It's always concerning I think when there is any offending against children, that's why we adopt a zero-tolerance approach."

Three people were reported for having contact with children, but Mr Taylor said there were no breaches of working with children found during this operation.

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