Senegal detains 14 suspects in alleged paedophile network with ties to France

Senegalese police have announced the arrest of 14 individuals and the dismantling of a paedophile network operating across Senegal and France.

According to a police statement, all those arrested are Senegalese nationals and are alleged to have belonged to a transnational criminal organisation that had been active since 2017.

The suspects face accusations including organised paedophilia, pimping, rape of minors under the age of 15, sodomy, and the deliberate transmission of HIV/AIDS. Investigators allege that the group repeatedly coerced boys into engaging in unprotected sexual acts with men, most of whom were reportedly HIV-positive, and recorded the abuse.

Police said four of the suspects acted under the direction of a French national who was arrested in France in April 2025. The arrangement allegedly involved financial transfers in exchange for carrying out the crimes.

The suspects were brought before a judge on Friday following coordinated searches conducted in several districts of Dakar as well as in Kaolack, a city located about 200 kilometres southeast of the capital.

In a statement released on Sunday, police said the raids led to the seizure of items believed to be connected to the alleged offences. The Criminal Investigations Division described the operation as a major breakthrough against a cross-border organised crime network with members primarily based in Senegal and France.

Authorities said the operation was carried out in close cooperation with French law enforcement, including the involvement of a delegation of French officers.

Police have vowed to continue efforts to identify and dismantle similar criminal networks and have provided a toll-free hotline for members of the public to report relevant information.