NSW Police bust international satanic child sex ring in Sydney

An international satanic child sex abuse material ring has been busted by police who have charged four Australians for their involvement.

Detectives uncovered a Sydney-based paedophile network actively involved in possessing, distributing and facilitating child sexual abuse involving ritualistic or satanic themes via a website.

With the help of the riot squad, NSW Police executed six search warrants in Waterloo, Ultimo and Malabar late last week.

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Police arrested Landon Germanotta-Mills, 26, in Waterloo who they will allege played a leading role in the group.

He was charged with multiple offences including possession of child abuse material, making child abuse material available via a carriage service and disseminating and possessing bestiality material.

Detectives also arrested three men — Benjamin Drysdale 46, Mark Sendecky, 42 and Stuart Riches, 39 — at a unit block in Malabar.

They were charged with similar offences, with Drysdale and Riches also hit with drug possession charges.

Police allege Landon Germanotta-Mills played a leading role in the group. Credit: NSW Police

Germanotta-Mills describes himself as the founder and editor-in-chief of independent news site the Underground Media Network.

The site claims it is “committed to exposing institutional abuse, systemic failures and the misuse of power”.

All four men appeared in court last Friday.

Germanotta-Mills was refused bail and will return to court on January 29.

The other men did not apply for bail and will face court again on January 27.

Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said initial examination of thousands of images and videos seized showed abuse and torture of children from babies up to 12-year-olds.

The Sex Crimes Squad head noted some files contained bestiality distributed among the international pedophile ring, describing the material seized as “abhorrent … and deplorable.”

“Child abuse and the sharing of child abuse material is a borderless crime that impacts the lives of children that fall victim to these criminals,” she told reporters on Monday.

“The sharing of child abuse material is unfortunately increasing.”

Dept Supt Doherty said the network’s use of occult symbols and rituals in its discussions via encrypted means about the abused children was “devastating”.

Germanotta-Mills describes himself as the founder and editor-in-chief of independent news site the Underground Media Network, which boasts it is committed to “exposing institutional abuse, systemic failures and the misuse of power”.

“Founded by journalist Landon Germanotta-Mills, the platform is survivor-led, trauma-informed, and legally aware – built by and for those impacted by the systems we investigate,” the website reads.