Twelve men charged in child exploitation investigation: Durham Region police

12 men charged in child exploitation probe
12 men charged in child exploitation probe
A Durham Regional Police officer's logo emblem is shown at a Bowmanville, Ont. shopping centre parking lot on Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives
Writer

Police east of Toronto say 12 men are facing charges after allegedly trying to obtain sexual services from someone they believed to be a minor.

Durham regional police say officers conducted a 10-day investigation last month targeting individuals trying to get sexual services from a 15-year-old.

Police say officers created an online advertisement offering sexual services from someone purported to be that age and the ad received 8,000 views.

They say several people attempted to meet with the advertised minor for sexual services.

Police say 12 men ranging in age between 22 and 64 were arrested and charged with a total of 36 Criminal Code offences.

They say the investigation dubbed Project Firebird shows an ongoing demand for sexual exploitation of children online and highlights the importance of proactive investigations. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2026.

Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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