Alongside the NSA 2026 launch, the NCA warned of a rapidly growing threat from online communities known as Com networks, predominantly teenage male offenders collaborating across cyber crime, fraud, serious violence and child sexual abuse. Known reports increased six-fold in the UK between 2022 and 2024. NCA analysts estimate thousands of users have exchanged millions of messages related to abuse, with some offenders targeting girls as young as eleven. The Agency is co-ordinating a cross-sector response involving policing, tech companies and safeguarding agencies.
Original source: National Crime Agency
Retrieved: 2026-03-21 | Language: EN | Reading time: 5 min read