Disclosure notice: This is a true account of a frontline investigation – written in collaboration with Semantics 21. This may contain accounts that some readers find upsetting.
This case study is based on a real experience shared by a law enforcement/investigation agency professional and written in collaboration with Semantics 21. It is presented in a first-person format to reflect the original voice and lived reality of the investigator, with all identifying information removed or adapted in accordance with UK GDPR and safeguarding standards.
Introduction
There’s no shortage of caseload in digital forensics. So when a major new case lands on your desk — 20TB of evidence and direct ties to a live investigation — the pressure is instant.
One investigator knew they couldn’t do it alone. The volume was staggering. The risk of delay? Unacceptable.
So they turned to a feature designed for exactly this kind of scenario.
They clicked “Create Pool” in S21 LASERi‑X — and built a grading team in minutes.
From Overload to Outcome
Using “Pool Mode” in S21 LASERi‑X, the investigator quickly brought in a local satellite team. Each team member logged into the case remotely, immediately able to start reviewing without overlapping efforts.
S21 LASERi‑X handled the media distribution automatically: no file seen twice, no time wasted on duplication. The grading was now a coordinated, live effort — fast, accurate and massively scalable.
To push further, the team used S21 Find Victims and the S21 Auto-Categoriser. These AI-driven tools filtered out irrelevant content, flagged high-risk files and accelerated victim identification across the board.
With Pool Mode and built-in AI, 20TB of media became manageable — and actionable — in just six days.
The results were exceptional: 15 victims were identified and rescued, multiple investigations were linked together and the case — one that might’ve taken months — was completed in less than a week.
It wasn’t just teamwork, it was a smarter system enabling that teamwork to happen — securely, efficiently and in real time.
“No duplication, no delay — just streamlined teamwork at scale.”
What if They Worked Alone?
Without Pool Mode, this case would have fallen into backlog. Manual distribution. Redundant grading. Endless hours.
Instead, one click turned a solo workload into a coordinated operation. The speed of AI, the clarity of structure and the ability to act quickly made all the difference.
Lives were changed because action wasn’t delayed.
S21 solutions mentioned
S21 LASERi-X
The complete solution for rapid victim identification, CSAM categorisation and media review
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