A man in Far North Queensland has been charged with child sex offences after allegedly being caught during an undercover police operation.
Police allege the 46-year-old Mareeba man contacted an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old child on social media and "engaged in behaviour that constitutes grooming a child for sex".
Detectives executed a search warrant at the man's Roiko Road property on Thursday, April 22, where they collected computers, mobile phones and a camera as evidence.
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Bodycam footage from the day showed officers telling the man they had a warrant, then escorting him into the heavily cluttered property and questioning him about content on mobile phones and other devices.
The man was arrested and charged with four counts of indecent treatment of a child, grooming a child under 16 and using internet to procure children under 16, possessing child exploitation material, producing and possessing dangerous drugs and possessing dangerous drug utensils, Queensland Police confirmed.
Police are warning parents to be vigilant when it comes to children's screen time and make sure they are aware of who they are talking to on social media.
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"Smart devices and social media have become part of our children's lives and they have strongly influenced how our children create, share and exchange information with others," Queensland Police said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, these same devices and applications have been embraced by sex offenders, who have proven to be exceptionally skilled at using them to gain access to children."
The Mareeba man was granted conditional bail and is due to face court on May 10.
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