Detectives have arrested an elderly man accused of running multiple child exploitation websites from his home computer. 

Lau Hansen, 71, was taken into custody by police after they executed a search warrant at his Townsville home on Monday.

He has been charged with 59 offences relating to child exploitation material.

Hansen was identified by an undercover police officer who infiltrated a child exploitation network.

Police claim Hansen ran a number of these networks using encrypted messaging platforms and websites. 

Hansen controlled and maintained the libraries of child exploitation material within these networks, Queensland Police allege.

It’s alleged that he was involved in these networks with 500 others who regularly spoke about their sexual abuse of children.

Detectives allege they uncovered a large quantity of children exploitation material when they searched Hansen’s property on Monday.

They allegedly found graphic digital content on his computer, printed material and evidence of Hansen’s roles within these encrypted platforms.

Hansen’s charges include possessing child exploitation material, distributing child exploitation material, administering a child exploitation material website and encouraging use of child exploitation material website. 

He was remanded in custody and faced Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday. 

The court heard that Hansen often visited the Phillipines, where he was once convicted of carnal knowledge, according to the .

He was subsequently imprisoned for three years and six months back in May 2005.

Hansen also runs a community Facebook page for Filipino Australians living in Townsville. 

In court, Lawyer istanbul Hansen’s lawyer, Michael Spearman, applied for bail and offered up his client’s passport in exchange. 

Magistrate Ken Taylor refused his request for bail, Lawyer istanbul claiming Hansen was ‘too great a risk’.

Hansen will front court again on April 4.