Senegalese authorities say they have arrested 14 people and dismantled a criminal network accused of exploiting children in an operation spanning Senegal and France.
In a statement, police said all those arrested are Senegalese nationals and were members of a transnational criminal group that had allegedly been active since 2017. The group is accused of a range of serious offences involving minors, including organised sexual exploitation, trafficking, and other related crimes.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly coerced underage boys into sexual acts with adult men, many of whom were reportedly living with HIV. Police said the abuse was filmed and involved repeated acts carried out without protection.
Authorities revealed that four of the suspects were operating under the direction of a French national who was arrested in France in April 2025. The Senegalese police said the suspects allegedly received financial payments in exchange for carrying out instructions.
The 14 suspects appeared before a judge on Friday following coordinated searches in several areas of the capital, Dakar, as well as in the city of Kaolack, located about 200 kilometres southeast of the capital.
In a follow-up statement released on Sunday, police said multiple raids were conducted at the suspects’ homes, leading to the seizure of materials believed to be connected to the alleged crimes.
“The Criminal Investigations Division carried out a major operation that dismantled a transnational organised criminal network operating mainly between Senegal and France,” the police said.
The operation was carried out in close cooperation with French authorities, with a delegation of French police officers taking part in the investigation.
Senegalese police said efforts are ongoing to identify and dismantle similar criminal networks. Authorities have also shared a toll-free number, urging the public to report any information that could help with ongoing investigations.