The suspects, who include a healthcare worker and two teachers, were detained in Europe, the US and Latin America.
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Global police organisation Interpol says that 20 people have been arrested as part of a major international operation against the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The arrests were made between March and May in an operation that spanned 12 countries. It was led by the Spanish National Police in collaboration with Interpol and Europol.
"The operation was initiated by Spain in late 2024, when specialised officers carried out online patrols and identified instant messaging groups dedicated to the circulation of child sexual exploitation images," Interpol said in a statement.
Through Interpol and Europol, Spanish officers alerted authorities in countries where the alleged perpetrators were residing.
Two teachers involved
Spanish authorities arrested seven suspects, including a healthcare worker and a teacher.
"The healthcare worker allegedly paid minors from Eastern Europe for explicit images, while the teacher is accused of possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material via various online platforms," Interpol said.
In Spain, the searches carried out by police resulted in the seizure of desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and digital storage devices.
Authorities in seven Latin American countries detained 10 suspects, including a teacher in Panama.
The remaining arrests were made in the US and other parts of Europe.
"Bulgaria, Italy and Portugal participated at the European level," an Interpol spokesperson told Euronews.
So far, 68 additional suspects have been identified and further investigations are underway globally, according to Interpol.
"Information gathered during the operation has been shared with law enforcement authorities in 28 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania," Interpol added.
The arrests were preceded by talks between Interpol and Spanish investigators in Chile at the Latin America Victim Identification Task Force meeting. The operation was presented there to specialised officers from across Latin America.
Authorities exchanged information on cases, provided concrete leads and launched coordinated actions.