The suspected boss of an international pedophile crime gang was arrested after he was found hiding out in Mexico City.
Nelson Maatman, 27, was caught near a train station in the Mexican capital on Sunday.
According to local authorities, Maatman was caught in possession of a gun, cocaine, and electronic devices with child porn stored on them.
Mexico City Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said Maatman was identified as the suspected leader of an international pedophile and child porn network.
Maatman founded the Party for Neighborly Love, Freedom and Diversity (PNVD), a political party in the Netherlands that is not represented in the Dutch Parliament, which supports the idea that laws should be introduced to allow sex with minors from the age of 12.
Commonly called the "pedopartij" ("pedo party") by Dutch media, the organization advocates for the legalization of child porn and for lowering the age of consent.
Between 2014 and 2021, the suspect allegedly managed a website that pushed for the legalization of sex with minors, claiming that they are capable of deciding on their own if they want to take part in sexual relations.
The police raided a home in the Mexico City district of Gustavo A. Madero where the suspect was residing and seized mobile phones, flash drives, laptops, and hard drives with child porn content, according to the authorities.
Maatman was arrested in his home country in February 2020 and found in possession of over 10,000 pornographic images of minors.
He appeared in court in June 2020 and was allowed to defend his case without remaining in police custody.
Despite being told to remain in the Netherlands, the suspect reportedly fled the country and was declared a fugitive in February 2022 after missing a court date.
The Mexican authorities were informed of his presence in the country by members of the Netherlands-based Free a Girl association.
The foundation called on the Mexican authorities to reject the suspect's petition for political asylum.
Free a Girl spokesperson Evelien Holsken said: "We are impressed with the skill and dedication of the police in Mexico City to protect children from these types of predators.
"We are very relieved that he was arrested for posing a serious danger to children in Mexico."
It is currently unclear if and when the suspect will be extradited to the Netherlands, but Mexico and the Dutch government to have an extradition treaty that also includes offenses of a sexual nature.
This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
