By Sam Nichols, ABC
Australian authorities have confirmed the arrests of two males in Nigeria over the alleged sextortion of an Australian teenage boy. Photo: Supplied / NSW Police
Two people have been arrested and charged in Nigeria over the alleged sextortion of an Australian boy who took his own life, NSW Police says.
A police investigation last year revealed the boy was engaging with an "unknown person online", who then threatened to share personal photos of him with his family and friends if he did not pay A$500 (approx NZ$546).
The matter was initially investigated by local NSW Police officers before being referred to State Crime Command's Cybercrime Squad and the Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.
Sexual extortion, or sextortion, is a form of online blackmail where someone is tricked or coerced into sending explicit images of themselves.
They are then threatened that these images will be shared if they do not comply with demands.
Detectives were informed last month that "two young males" based in Nigeria had been arrested and charged over the alleged sextortion.
NSW Police said the two men will be "dealt with locally" in the African country, where authorities had the power to prosecute for Australian-based offences.
Sextortion cases up 400 percent
State Crime Command cybercrime squad commander, detective superintendent Matthew Craft, encouraged young people to report these cases.
He said in the past 18 months, sextortion cases had increased by nearly 400 percent.
"We want young people to continue to report these cases, and to never be embarrassed to talk to police," he said.
"Sextortion is a very real crime that we can take serious action against."
AFP commander Helen Schneider said the arrests showed what could be achieved when law enforcement worked together to fight a global problem.
"The sextortion of children is a borderless crime, as these arrests show," Schneider said.
"The partnerships between law enforcement here in Australia and around the world are vital as we work together to protect children online."
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This story was first published by the ABC.