BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- A growing number of model sites are replacing some of the porn sites on the Internet that were engaged in child image trafficking, The New York Times has found.

These so-called model sites are actually Internet locations that provide pedophiles with explicit, sexualized images of scantily clad under-age children. Those children are covered by bits of clothing -- all in the questionable hope of allowing producers, distributors and customers to avoid child pornography charges, the newspaper reported Sunday.

In recent months, the U.S. Justice Department, state and local law enforcement and Congress have made an array of investigations into the child pornography business and shut down some of the most sexually explicit Internet sites trafficking in child images.

Pedophiles considered model sites as the last of a shrinking number of Internet locations for sexual images of minors.

More than 200 of such sites have been found by the newspaper through online advertising aimed at pedophiles. Almost all the children appear to be between the ages of 2 and 12.

The sites show toddlers in tight thongs and slightly older children in feather boas posing evocatively. There is even a site that offers images of girls and boys who appear to be 5 or 6 years old, wearing just diapers, the newspaper has found.

Child exploitation is in the spotlight after last week's arrest of John Mark Karr, the confessed killer of a 6-year-old beauty pageant princess named JonBenet Ramsey in 1996. Enditem