Prince George, B.C.- The  RCMP’s  Integrated Child Exploitation unit (ICE) says  it has  found a “troubling number of people in the province exchanging digital child pornography”.

The project  saw ICE  investigators in B.C.  track known illegal material  between  April 1st and September 30th of last year, and found 1228  unique instances  in BC of  that material being exchanged online through  peer to peer file sharing.

“Frankly, even as a police officer who investigates this type of crime, the extent of problem is disturbing,” says Inspector Ed Boettcher, Officer in Charge of BC RCMP Communications. “A single exchange of material where a child was victimized is too many, this many instances over a six month period is tragic.”

This was the first time a project like this was conducted in British Columbia and was meant to establish a baseline for reference, and as a result BC ICE investigators cannot say whether the issue is getting worse or better.

“People need to monitor computers in their own homes and businesses” says Inspector Boettcher, “If you suspect that somebody has been using it to download or exchange explicit illegal materials please contact your local police.”

BC ICE is working with local police throughout the province to investigate the incidents further.