“Blue Orchid” fades

A large chain distributing Russian-made child pornography has been busted by Russia’s Criminal Investigation Department and US Customs as a result of the “Blue Orchid” operation, Yuri Furman, Moscow’s police spokesman said today. In his words, concerted efforts of the Russian CID and the US Customs have made it possible to spot a group of Russians engaged in producing and distribution of child pornography. The clients largely were residents of the US and Europe, according to RIA Novosti. In the course of the operation, named after the web site advertizing such a produce, 4 people have been detained in Moscow. Simultaneously, 15 searches and 4 arrests have been made in the US. According to Mr. Furman, the web site’s organizers were unemployed Muscovites - males aged 29 and 30. They were arrested in December 2000. CID agents searched the detainees’ departments. As a result, over 600 videocassettes 200 CDs containing child pornography and video equipment was seized. Also seized were clients’ receipts. In Mr. Furman’s words, the respective information has been forwarded to law-enforcement bodies of European countries. The related investigations have already been completed in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, while being in progress in a number of other countries.