[BREAKING] List: Countries and the Number of Suspects Arrested by Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has confirmed the arrest of 306 individuals suspected of involvement in cybercrime-related scams across seven African nations.
The arrests were made as part of Operation Red Card, which ran from November 2024 to February 2025, targeting cross-border cybercriminal networks engaged in mobile banking fraud, investment scams, and messaging app fraud.
Authorities from Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia collaborated with Interpol, exchanging intelligence and receiving support based on data from global law enforcement partners.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 1,842 electronic devices and uncovered more than 1,500 victims of cyber-enabled fraud schemes.
Breakdown of arrests by country
1. Nigeria
Nigeria recorded the highest number of arrests, with 130 individuals taken into custody, including 113 foreign nationals.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) played a key role in dismantling a sophisticated cybercriminal network involving foreign nationals who were allegedly recruiting and training young Nigerians in various types of internet fraud.
The suspects were found to be engaged in online casino scams, investment fraud, and romance scams, often using social media to lure victims.
The Nigerian authorities also discovered that some individuals working in these scam centers may have been victims of human trafficking, forced into illicit activities.
As a result of the operation, law enforcement seized 26 vehicles, 16 houses, 39 plots of land, and 685 electronic devices linked to fraudulent activities.
In Rwanda, 45 individuals were arrested in connection with social engineering scams, which had reportedly defrauded victims of over $305,000 in 2024.
The suspects primarily operated by impersonating telecom employees to obtain sensitive information, granting them unauthorized access to victims’ bank accounts.
3. South Africa
South African law enforcement officials apprehended 40 suspects engaged in a sophisticated SIM box fraud scheme. The criminals were reportedly converting international calls into local ones to carry out large-scale SMS phishing attacks.
Authorities seized over 1,000 SIM cards, 53 desktop computers, and other telecommunications equipment linked to fraudulent activities.
4. Zambia
Zambian authorities arrested 14 suspected members of a cybercriminal syndicate specializing in hacking mobile devices.
These individuals used malicious links to install malware on victims’ phones, ultimately gaining access to their banking applications.
Once compromised, the hackers could control victims’ messaging apps, further spreading the scam by sharing the infected links in group chats and personal conversations.
Ongoing investigations and future actions
Interpol emphasized that the operation was a significant step in dismantling cybercriminal networks that exploit individuals and businesses.
The agency also noted that investigations are ongoing to track down additional members of these syndicates and recover further assets linked to illicit activities.
Law enforcement agencies across the seven participating countries have pledged to intensify efforts in combating cybercrime, ensuring stronger cybersecurity measures, and enhancing cross-border cooperation to prevent future attacks.
Interpol continues to work with its partners to safeguard individuals and businesses from the growing threat of cyber-enabled fraud.
EFCC set to go after “Yahoo boys” in Nigeria
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it is ready to support the effort to combat internet scams.
This came after hundreds of fraudulent Nigerian Instagram and Facebook accounts were removed by Meta. The social media giant removed almost 63,000 fake accounts last summer because they were linked to the growing fraud issue.
