An armed police officer guards the car park of the court in Oslo, Norway, Monday, July 25, 2011.

Highly educated suspects including lawyers and politicians are among at least 51 people behind a pedophile network, the Associated Press reported Norwegian police as saying on Sunday.

The police said the suspects could be behind abuse of infants and at least one case of a suspect acknowledging abusing his own children.

Deputy Police Chief Gunnar Floystad said that in Norway’s largest abuse case to date they have arrested 20 men so far, with three convictions, in western Norway. The 31 other suspects are from other regions in Norway.

Floystad said he could not reveal more details pending the conclusion of the investigation, known as “Dark Room,” which began in 2015.

Prosecutors said the perpetrators met in the dark web, using encryption and anonymity to hide their tracks.

[vuukle]