By Stephen Simon
The International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, has arrested 58 suspected members of organised West African criminal networks in a major international operation targeting cyber-enabled financial crimes, including romance and investment scams.
The eight-month operation, known as Operation Jackal IV, involved law enforcement agencies from 22 countries across six continents and ran from November 2025 to June 2026.
According to INTERPOL, investigators also identified 263 suspects linked to organised crime networks operating across West Africa and beyond. The operation focused on disrupting criminal organisations, tracing illicit funds, identifying high-value targets and supporting prosecutions.
The agency said the investigation exposed the growing international reach of groups such as Black Axe and other West African criminal networks, which have increasingly moved beyond traditional forms of organised crime into sophisticated online fraud.
The networks were allegedly involved in romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment fraud, business email compromise and other forms of cyber-enabled financial crime. INTERPOL said the groups exploit victims across different countries while using complex financial channels to move and conceal proceeds.
In one major investigation in Argentina, authorities identified 196 people allegedly connected to a Crime-as-a-Service network suspected of providing website domains and money-laundering support to West African criminal groups. The investigation resulted in 17 arrests.
INTERPOL said the operation also helped authorities trace and disrupt financial flows associated with the criminal networks. Several cases, however, remain under investigation because of the complexity of the financial transactions and the international nature of the networks.
The latest crackdown highlights the increasing pressure on West African cybercrime organisations as international law-enforcement agencies strengthen cooperation against transnational financial crimes. It also underscores the growing importance of tracing criminal proceeds and dismantling the financial infrastructure that enables cybercrime to operate across borders.
