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INTERPOL and law enforcement agencies in 22 countries carried out Operation Jackal IV, a multinational crackdown on West African organized crime groups involved in cyber-enabled financial fraud, money laundering, and scam operations. The campaign, conducted between November 2025 and June 2026, identified 263 suspects and led to 58 arrests, with major actions reported in South Africa, Argentina, Italy, and Romania. Authorities also froze hundreds of bank accounts and seized millions in cash and other assets tied to criminal networks.
Investigators said the operation targeted schemes including investment fraud, romance scams, call-center fraud, and Crime-as-a-Service activity, with particular attention on the Black Axe syndicate and associated laundering networks. INTERPOL said the investigation also exposed an emerging pattern of West African crime groups using sextortion against minors and obtaining dark-web services to support fraud and money movement, underscoring the growing sophistication and diversification of these transnational cybercrime operations.
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INTERPOL reported that criminal groups targeted in Operation Jackal IV used electronic wallets to divert funds from fraud victims.
In July, INTERPOL announced that Operation First Light 2026 had resulted in 5,811 arrests involving investigators from 97 countries. The operation also led to the seizure of $293 million in illicit assets.
By the end of Operation Jackal IV, authorities had arrested 58 people and identified 263 suspects linked to cybercrime networks coordinated by African crime groups. The operation particularly targeted disruption of the Black Axe syndicate and related fraud and laundering activity.
INTERPOL coordinated Operation Jackal IV against West African organized crime groups involved in cyber-enabled fraud and money laundering. The operation ran across 22 countries from November 2025 to June 2026.
INTERPOL's earlier Operation Jackal III resulted in 300 arrests. Operation Jackal IV was described as building on that 2024 operation.
Swiss and German law enforcement arrested 10 suspected members of the Black Axe cybercrime syndicate during raids in both countries. The reference states the raids occurred in April, but does not specify a year.
INTERPOL said some of the targeted syndicates were procuring Crime-as-a-Service from external providers, often via the dark web. These outsourced services included money laundering and other operational support for cyber-enabled fraud schemes.
INTERPOL reported an emerging trend in which West African crime groups increasingly target minors through sextortion, including victims as young as 14. The agency said offenders contact minors on social media, coerce them into sharing explicit material, and then extort them with threats of distribution.
Italian authorities identified one suspect tied to a pan-European money-laundering network that used shell companies, remittance services, and cash withdrawals to conceal illicit funds. One account in the case moved €845,000 through 560 transactions across 20 financial instruments.
INTERPOL reported that the Romanian investment-scam call-center scheme allegedly stole and laundered an estimated €143 million globally. Police arrested 11 suspects and seized about €330,000 in cash and cryptocurrency, six real-estate properties, and luxury watches.
Romanian authorities shut down a criminal group that used a call center to lure victims with promises of high returns on stocks and cryptocurrency. The case led to 11 arrests and seizures including cash, cryptocurrency, properties, and luxury watches.
Investigators in Argentina linked 196 individuals to a network suspected of providing website domains and money-laundering services to West African crime groups. The case resulted in 17 arrests during Operation Jackal IV.
During Operation Jackal IV, South African authorities searched seven Johannesburg locations tied to a romance- and investment-scam syndicate targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. The action led to 39 arrests, the freezing of 257 bank accounts, and the seizure of $2.67 million.
In a separate INTERPOL-coordinated action, African authorities arrested 651 suspects during Operation Red Card 2.0. The operation spanned 16 countries between December 8 and January 30.
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**INTERPOL’s Operation Red Card 2.0**, coordinated under the **African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC)**, resulted in **651 arrests** across **16 African countries** and the recovery of **over $4.3 million** tied to online scam activity. The operation ran from **December 8, 2025 to January 30, 2026**, identified **1,247 victims**, and targeted criminal activity linked to **over $45 million** in losses, including **high-yield investment fraud**, **mobile money fraud**, and **fraudulent mobile loan applications**. Law enforcement reported significant disruption activity, including the seizure of **2,341 devices** and takedowns of **1,442 malicious IPs/domains/servers (and related infrastructure)**. Notable actions included Nigeria dismantling an investment-fraud ring that leveraged **phishing, identity theft, and social engineering** (with **1,000+ fraudulent social media accounts** removed) and arresting **six suspects** accused of breaching a major telecom provider using **compromised staff credentials** to steal airtime/data for resale; Kenya arrested **27 suspects** tied to social-media/messaging-driven fraud schemes; and Côte d’Ivoire arrested **58 suspects** linked to predatory loan-app activity with hidden fees and abusive collection practices.
Jun 29, 2026
Interpol coordinated a major international law enforcement operation, codenamed Operation Contender 3.0, which resulted in the arrest of 260 individuals suspected of running romance scams and sextortion schemes across 14 African countries. The operation, conducted over two weeks, targeted criminal networks exploiting online platforms to deceive and extort victims, often through fake identities and stolen images. Authorities seized 1,235 electronic devices, including phones, USB drives, and SIM cards, which were allegedly used to facilitate these crimes. Investigators linked approximately 1,463 victims to the scams, with total financial losses estimated at around $2.8 million. In Ghana, police arrested 68 suspects, seized 835 devices, and identified 108 victims who collectively lost $450,000, of which $70,000 was recovered. Senegalese authorities apprehended 22 suspects accused of defrauding 120 victims on social media and dating platforms, resulting in losses of about $34,000. In Cote d’Ivoire, 24 suspects were arrested, and 809 victims were identified as having been manipulated into sharing intimate images, which were then used for blackmail. Angolan authorities arrested eight individuals for scamming 28 victims, both domestic and international, via social media. The operation also led to the dismantling of 81 cybercrime infrastructure networks across the continent. The scams typically involved criminals luring victims into online relationships using fake profiles, then demanding money for fraudulent courier or customs fees, or engaging in sextortion by secretly recording explicit video chats. Interpol highlighted a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as romance scams and sextortion, attributing this trend to the growth of online platforms that provide new opportunities for criminal exploitation. The psychological and financial harm to victims was emphasized by Interpol officials, who noted the importance of international cooperation in combating these crimes. Private sector partners, including Group-IB and Trend Micro, assisted in the investigation, demonstrating the value of public-private collaboration in cybercrime enforcement. Other participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. The operation underscores the scale and complexity of cyber-enabled fraud in Africa and the necessity of coordinated, cross-border law enforcement action. Authorities also recovered forged documents and other evidence, which will aid in ongoing prosecutions. The success of Operation Contender 3.0 is expected to disrupt major scam networks and serve as a deterrent to similar criminal enterprises. Interpol continues to warn the public about the tactics used by romance scammers, including the use of military personas and requests for money under false pretenses. The operation marks a significant step in addressing the growing threat of online romance and sextortion scams targeting vulnerable individuals worldwide.
Jun 29, 2026
INTERPOL said **Operation First Light 2026** led to **5,811 arrests** across **97 countries and territories** and the seizure or interception of **$293 million** in illicit assets during a four-month crackdown on social engineering fraud and related money laundering. The campaign, conducted between January 15 and April 30, targeted **business email compromise**, impersonation fraud, romance scams, investment scams, sextortion, and the financial networks used to move criminal proceeds. Investigators reviewed roughly **150,000 cases**, identified more than **142,000 victims**, blocked **31,014 bank accounts**, and identified **15,606 additional suspects** beyond those arrested. INTERPOL said the operation used its **I-GRIP** payment-intervention system to help stop suspicious transfers involving both fiat currency and virtual assets before settlement, with support from partners including **ASEANAPOL**, **GCCPOL**, and **Europol**. Authorities highlighted cases in **Eswatini**, **Thailand**, **Singapore and Oman**, **Macao, China**, and **Palau**, including impersonation scams, romance-scam laundering through cryptocurrency cross-chain swaps, a business email compromise investigation, and scam centres operating from hotels. The operation was funded in part by China’s Ministry of Public Security and adds to a broader series of INTERPOL-led anti-cybercrime actions such as **Synergia**, **Serengeti**, **Africa Cyber Surge**, **Red Card 2.0**, and **Synergia III**.
Aug 11, 2026