Every day, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) receives thousands of CyberTipline reports that require urgent review because they may involve children in immediate danger. In 2024 alone, staff identified and escalated more than 51,000 reports as urgent or involving imminent risk and 84% of reports involving child exploitation resolved outside the U.S.
It was through this urgent reporting pipeline that spurred the following rescue operation in February 2026, in Ecuador.
In Quito and Latacunga, Ecuador, CyberTips from NCMEC led authorities to discover a person in possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The Our Rescue team in Ecuador supported a coordinated operation alongside the Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) Cybercrimes Unit (CiberPOL) and the Attorney General’s Office (FGE).
These combined investigations led to the identification and arrest of two individuals on allegations related to CSAM and the exploitation of children.
During the operation, investigators also identified two children connected to the case. Later, police learned that they were the perpetrators’ younger cousins. Our Rescue Survivor Care provided support to the rescued children, including a safe place and attention to their immediate needs during and after the operation.
As part of the enforcement action, Ecuadorian Cybercrime investigators seized extensive digital evidence including two laptops, nine mobile devices, and 170 files containing suspected CSAM. This evidence is now part of a larger, ongoing investigation aimed at identifying the full scope of the network and rescuing any additional survivors.
There are countless children around the world facing horrific situations like this. Donor support is essential in helping to ensure seamless partnerships and collaboration that enables us to assist in finding children who are being sexually exploited and to rescue them as quickly as possible.
