Europol said that coppers have arrested 184 people accused in setting up the largest internet based global pedophile network ever uncovered.

More arrests are expected, as police have 670 suspects.  More than  230 children have been identified in the investigation and been "safeguarded." The ring was based around an Internet child pornography forum.  The forum had more than 70,000 members at one time, Europol said in a statement.

The site was taken down after it was traced to a Dutch server in 2009. But Europol got a copy of it and rebuilt it offline to conduct a forensic investigation.  They were able to get traces that would lead back to the members.

The site operated as a "discussion only" forum, People would make contact on the site and then use e-mail to exchange photos and videos. These photographs and videos  have been found on the computers of those who were arrested confirming a link to the original site.