A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged in Leeton as part of an expanding police operation targeting child abuse offences, with authorities confirming it is the 67th arrest made by the NSW Child Abuse Squad in 2026.

The man was taken into custody in Leeton earlier last week following investigations by specialist detectives. Police have not publicly detailed the full scope of the allegations but confirmed the charges are linked to ongoing, intelligence-led operations across the state.

The latest arrest comes amid a growing number of serious cases emerging across the Riverina, highlighting what police describe as a sustained enforcement effort in regional areas.

Among those previously charged this year is a 21-year-old man arrested at a home in Wagga Wagga on 9 January as part of the same statewide crackdown.

In a separate and confronting case, a 41-year-old Riverina man was granted bail after appearing before Magistrate Pauline Wright at Griffith Local Court on 12 February. He faces a string of serious charges, including two counts of intentionally sexually touching a child under the age of 10 (domestic violence-related) and an additional count of intentionally sexually touching a child between 10 and 16 years.

The decision to grant bail in that matter has drawn scrutiny, given the severity of the allegations and the broader context of rising arrests linked to child abuse investigations.

Police say the volume and frequency of charges reflect both the scale of offending being uncovered and a deliberate shift toward proactive detection and enforcement.

“This is not isolated activity,” a police spokesperson said. “These investigations are ongoing, and we will continue to identify and charge offenders, including in regional communities.”

The Leeton offender remains before the courts as investigations continue.