Interpol arrest suspected black axe scammers, identify hundreds for cyber crimes across West Africa

Di International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) don arrest 58 scammers for inside one operation wey target organised crime groups for West Africa.

Interpol say dis operation take dem eight months for different kontris as dem identify 263 criminal suspects.

Dem name am - 'Operation Jackal IV' and e last from November 2025 to June 2026.

Di operation na to stop "money laundering, identify high-value targets, seize assets, and support arrests and prosecution."

"Di operation wey bring togeda 22 kontris from six continents, na response to di serious global threat wey West African criminal networks – such as di Black Axe and oda similar groups get."

Interpol say dis crime groups dey responsible for part of di world cyber financial fraud.

Dem say di criminal groups dey do dis through "romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment scams or business email compromise fraud, as well as oda serious and violent crimes."

For South Africa alone, Interpol say dem seize about USD 2.67 million, block 257 bank accounts and arrest 39 individuals, during di operation.

Dem say plenti of di financial crimes wey dem discova for dis eight month operation still dey under investigation.

According to Interpol, Operation Jackal IV make dem uncova some oda emerging trends wey scammers dey use dupe pipo.

Dem say dem find "rise in West African organized crime groups using sextortion to target minors, wit victims as young as 14."

"Offenders typically contact minors via social media, build trust and force dem into sharing explicit images or videos. Dem go come threaten to distribute dis material to di victim contacts unless dem pay ransom," Interpol tok for dia statement.

Wetin Interpol find and which kontris dey involved

Interpol wey be inter-govmental organization get 196 member kontris and dia work na to help police for all dia "member kontris to work togeda, share and access data on crimes and criminals."

According to director of di Interpol Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, Tomonobu Kaya, e say di operation help attack organised crime across kontris and "make am increasingly difficult for criminal networks to profit from dia activities."

For Argentina, Interpol say dem identify 196 individuals for dia role for major crime network. Dem say dose wey dem trace dey provide support to how criminal groups dey commit money laundering.

"196 individuals dey identified for dia role for major Crime Service network, suspected of providing website domains and money laundering support to West African organized crime groups."

Interpol say dia investigation lead to 17 arrests of di suspects, afta dem deploy support team to assist di operation.

Na di support team come help identify di criminal networks and suspects and engage wit partners.

For South Africa, Interpol authorities raid seven locations for Johannesburg for dia link to syndicate wey dey run romance and investment scams.

Dem say di syndicate dey target retirees for English-speaking kontris.

"Di criminal network operate elaborate structure, wit members wey dem designate as "conversion" or "retention" agents for different stages of di scam.

" Interpol operational support team also dey deployed locally to support South African law enforcement authorities wey seize USD 2.67 million, block 257 bank accounts and arrest 39 individuals."

Anoda kontri wey dem torchlight na Italy wia dem identify one individual in relation to pan-European money laundering network wey dey 'use shell companies, remittance services and cash withdrawals to hide di origin of fund.'

"One single account launder EUR 845,000 (USD 736,000) across 560 transactions using 20 different financial instruments."

Dem burst anoda criminal group sake of how dem run investment scam through call center. Through dis, dem dey promise high returns in stocks or cyptocurrencies, for Romania.

Dem go divert victims money to electronic wallets 'controlled by di perpetrators, resulting in estimated EUR 143 million stolen and laundered globally.'

For Romania, "police arrest 11 individuals and seize approximately EUR 330,000 (USD 379,000) in cash and cryptocurrency, six real estate properties and several luxury watches."

According to Interpol, dia operation cut across intelligence sharing and training wey help di money laundering investigations for di kontris.

Kontris wey dey involved for dis collabo na: Austria, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.