Sema Fonkem 09 Feb 2026

14 people have been apprehended and appeared before a judge in Senegal in connection with paedophilia related activities.

According to reports by Senegal’s specialised crimes unit, the 14 persons arrested form part of an extremely dangerous gang that has been operating in the country since 2017.

The charges being heard in court include include organised paedophilia, pimping, rape of minors under 15, sodomy and the intentional transmission of HIV and Aids.

The group is said to have lured and forced children under the age of fifteen to engage in sexual intercourse with men who are HIV positive. While the young boys were being sodomised, the gang filmed the activities for pleasure and pornography content.

The perpetrators who are all Senegalese nationals were arrested from different parts in Dakar during a Senegal and France joint sting operation.

Four of the predators had been receiving instructions to commit these heinous crimes from a Frenchman in exchange of money.

The Frenchman linked to the crimes is one of 55 people apprehended by law enforcement in France around May and April 2025 for paedophilia, online pornography, human trafficking and other sex related offences.

Several items relating to the crimes were seized during the raids carried out at the homes of the suspects

The Criminal Investigations Division (DIC) says it remains vigilante and continues to improve its efforts to combat crime.