A woman is among six people arrested in Co Antrim in relation to child sex offences as part of a wider investigation into the exploitation of young people.
The PSNI has said while all six arrests were in the Ballymena area, they were not all linked it is not an investigation into a paedophile ring.
Five men - aged 17, 19, 23, 42 and 56 - were arrested on suspicion of rape and other sexual offences.
The 48-year-old woman was detained on suspicion of aiding and abetting rape and false imprisonment.
The suspects were all detained yesterday morning and remained in custody last night being questioned about the offences, which centre around the sexual exploitation of children and young people.
Officers also carried out searches and removed items for further examination.
Detective Chief Inspector Deirdre Bones, from the PSNI's Public Protection Branch who is heading up the investigation, said: "It is important to note that although these arrests all took place in the Ballymena area, the suspects are not all linked to each other.
"This is not about organised sexual abuse by a group of people. The arrests are part of a wider PSNI investigation focused on child sexual exploitation."
She added that the PSNI is committed to "tackling child sexual exploitation and these arrests reflect our determination to apprehend those suspected of coercing, exploiting and abusing children and young people in this manner".
