Police have "rescued" a baby and charged an 18-year-old woman in Melbourne's north with child sex and child exploitation offences, after a tip-off from authorities in the United Kingdom.

Key points: Police took "urgent action" yesterday to "rescue" a baby and arrest the woman

Police took "urgent action" yesterday to "rescue" a baby and arrest the woman The woman has been charged with transmitting child pornography and other offences

The woman has been charged with transmitting child pornography and other offences Police said the charges carried a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail

The arrests were made by the Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET), which is comprised of officers from Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police.

In a statement, police said the charges came after "urgent action" taken on Wednesday to "rescue" the baby, after the matter came to their attention following an arrest in the United Kingdom.

"Investigators located the woman at a premises in Lalor. The infant child was also located safe at a separate premises," the statement said.

Police have laid four charges against the woman:

Two charges of using a carriage service to transmit child pornography

Two charges of using a carriage service to transmit child pornography Sexual touching of a child under 16

Sexual touching of a child under 16 Sexual penetration of a child under 12

"The woman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment," the statement said.

The 18-year-old woman is due to appear in court today.