4 Queensland males have been charged over the alleged grooming and rape of 4 kids after utilizing social media to contact them over two years.
The lads, from Mackay in Central Queensland, are charged with 27 offences.
"The group of males used social media platforms to contact the victims over two years to each produce and procure youngster exploitation materials they usually've additionally made contact offences towards these kids," Detective Inspector Tom Armitt mentioned.
The youngsters have been all between 12 and 15 years previous.
Police mentioned investigators had acted on a search warrant at a house in Bakers Creek, the place three of the boys - have been aged 19, 22 and 49 -were arrested.
Police alleged a 21-year-old man had fled on the time of the arrests however had since turned himself in.
All 4 have been refused bail and can seem in Mackay Magistrates' Court docket on March 14.
A number of digital gadgets have been seized from the property on the time of arrest for forensic examination.
Detective Inspector Armitt urged dad and mom to be extra conscious of their kids's on-line behaviour and to take precautions towards predatory behaviour.
"My warning to folks is to please concentrate on the exercise your kids do on-line, it's vitally vital you might be with them or supervising them of their exercise on-line," he mentioned.
"These males used quite simple grooming strategies through widespread social media functions to focus on their victims.
"It is focused dialog and focused behaviour.
"What could seem on the floor as innocent and charming banter may very well be extra sinister."
Detective Inspector Armitt mentioned as a result of nature of kid exploitation crimes, investigations might be advanced, with extra work being executed to determine different potential victims.
"A few of that grooming can take a substantial time period of testing a toddler's boundaries and shifting previous them," Detective Inspector Armitt mentioned.
"It takes each forensic evaluation in addition to doing arduous investigative work to determine who these victims are earlier than making contact and eliciting info.
"We took our motion immediately to verify there was no ongoing offending it was on the forefront of our thoughts."