12-day undercover online child luring investigation leads to 36 arrests: OPP [Video]

Ontario Provincial Police said it only took officers 12 days to catch dozens of people during a recent child sexual exploitation investigation.

“These results highlight a sobering reality: predators can easily reach children in online spaces,” OPP Det. Staff Sgt. Tim Brown said in a release.

“We urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant and to talk to your children about staying safe online. Just as you wouldn’t leave your child alone in a city, don’t let them navigate the online world alone.”

On Thursday, police announced that they had arrested 36 men from across the province in connection with a proactive investigation that lasted from March 31 to April 11.

They said officers used undercover techniques in online chat rooms and on social media in their efforts to find people looking to sexually exploit children.

OPP said that while the officers were posing as children online and waiting for …