ENCOURAGING children, hotels and transport firms to engage with police is crucial in the fight against sexual exploitation, according to the strategic lead for an operation targeting the crime this week.

On Tuesday, Wiltshire Police executed six warrants, half of them in Swindon, in which men aged between 20 and 67 were arrested on suspicion of making and possessing indecent images of children.

The day of action, under Operation Harness, saw officers supporting the CIET (Child Internet Exploitation Team), and involved engaging with schools and businesses to improve intelligence.

Insp Phil Staynings said: “We had an overarching objective of reducing offending against vulnerable people, primarily children at risk of sexual exploitation.

“We executed six CIET warrants across Wiltshire which all resulted in positive outcomes and arrests. They were all men, aged between 20 and 67, and all six were arrested for making and possessing indecent images.

“We have proactive and forward facing technology the teams can use to detect these offences, but while it is very much technology based intelligence there is also co-operative intelligence in the community. They can then be used as a building block for a warrant, but of course if there are any immediate concerns for the welfare of a child actions are escalated.

“We have to learn from previous cases and we know that a number of children who have been exploited have been conveyed in and around Wiltshire by private hire vehicles and taken to either hotels or B&Bs where things take place.

“The message is about raising awareness with these groups and hotel chains to encourage the flow of information.

“This is business as usual for us, we have a dedicated CIET teamworking across Wiltshire. On a local level we work hard with younger people to try to listen to their voices. Sometimes they do not want to engage for whatever reason and it is about understanding what the issues and the risks are.”

Swindon Superintendent Andrew Carr said: “The message we send after making arrests of people in connection with making and poessessing indecent images should be strong one.’’ Contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously.