Warning: This story contains references to child sexual assault.

Nine people have been charged with online child abuse offences after a two-week operation between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and NSW Police.

More than 140 members from the AFP and state police executed search warrants between the end of August and start of September in Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong.

None of the individuals charged are employed in positions with access to children.

The most significant charge relates to a man in Wyongah on the Central Coast, with a 62-year-old alleged to have paid an alleged Filipino child trafficker for live-streamed child sexual abuse involving minors, while also exchanging 200 messages.

He allegedly paid the trafficker for three video calls, which went for a duration of 56 minutes.

The man was charged with one count of sexual activity other than sexual intercourse with a child outside of Australia, one count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, and one count of causing child abuse material to be transmitted to himself using a carriage service.

The man appeared before Wyong Local Court on September 12 and was remanded in custody to appear in the same court in November.

He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment if found guilty. 

The other eight people who were arrested have been hit with a range of charges, including causing child abuse material to be transmitted to self using a carriage service, possessing child abuse material, sing a carriage service to transmit, make available, publish, distribute, advertise or promote child abuse material.

If convicted, the alleged offenders could face between 10-15 years imprisonment.

In the 2024-2025 financial year, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 82,700 reports of child exploitation, a 41 per cent rise from the previous financial year.