Hong Kong police have arrested nine men in a crackdown on child pornography linked to a seven-jurisdiction operation in which more than 300 suspects were detained across Asia.

Police said on Monday the city had joined a coordinated international operation involving Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Brunei, targeting offences related to the production, distribution and possession of child sexual exploitation material.

“Through active intelligence exchange and investigation, we discovered individuals downloading or sharing child pornography online,” said Superintendent Ferris Cheung Hau-yee of the force’s cybersecurity and technology crime bureau.

“Following in-depth investigation and analysis, the police forces of our seven jurisdictions identified the suspects … and arrested a total of 326 individuals.”

She added that the offences included the production and possession of child pornography.

Locally, officers carried out raids on April 14, arresting nine men aged between 18 and 61. According to Cheung, they were suspected of possessing child pornography and committing indecent assault.