Officers from the Cybercrime Department of Bulgaria's General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime have detained 10 more Bulgarian citizens alleged for online abuse of children. The paedophiles arrested on the whole territory of the country in April and May exercised continuous and arrogant sexual blackmail and torture upon their victims /minors aged 7 to 12/, reports BNT.

In the course of investigation police discovered and seized at the criminals' homes electronic data that proved their criminal activity as well as large quantity /in terrabites/ of video and photo material showing scenes of sexual violence over children. Among the abused victims were children aged under 3.

A total of 25 men have been detained since the beginning of this year by officers from the Cybercrime Department at the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and their colleagues from local offices in a number of operations fighting online sexual exploitation of children.

Detainees used to contact children on Facebook. Misusing children's naivity and overtrust they blackmailed them and arranged tet-a-tete dates with them.

Police searches and seisures have been carried out in the cities of Sofia, Kjustendil, Blagoevgrad, Varna, Burgas, Vratsa, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Pernik. Police have found some pictures of naked children which minors themselves, being blackmailed, have submitted to the paedophiles.

Detainees aged of 22-45 face up to 6 year imprisonment for their criminal deed.