Two men have been arrested in Merseyside over the alleged supplying of software for use by computer hackers.
The suspects, both aged 21, were arrested shortly after 7.30pm on Thursday at separate addresses in Southport.
The men were kept inside the properties in Moreland Drive and Old Park Lane as specialist officers from Titan, the North West regional organised crime unit, forensically examined electronic devices using a mobile cyber forensic lab provided by Europol.
Both have since been taken to separate police stations in the region and will be interviewed on suspicion of committing cyber-crime offences.
The investigation is supported by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Europol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said Titan.
Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson, head of operations at Titan, said: “These arrests are a significant step forward in our relentless fight against cyber-crime which is a type of criminality that really does affect us all. Not everyone will understand yet what cyber crime is or how it impacts on normal people but it is an increasing threat to anyone who uses the Internet and organised crime groups often sit behind it.
“Cyber criminals who hack into your computer or that of your business or your bank account or your social network can do so from anywhere in the world. So it is vital that law enforcement agencies in different countries work together by sharing intelligence about potential offenders and pool resources and expertise to tackle this common goal.
“That is why Titan is grateful for the assistance of the NCA here in the UK, the FBI in the United States, Europol and specialist companies from the private sector in supporting this investigation. It demonstrates just how well we work together to combat a global threat ."