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INTERPOL has announced the arrest of 651 suspects and the recovery of more than $4.3 million in a major cybercrime crackdown across Africa, conducted under Operation Red Card 2.0. The coordinated effort ran from December 8, 2025, to January 30, 2026, and targeted online investment scams, mobile money fraud, and malicious loan applications.
Law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries participated in the operation, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as part of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC). Investigations revealed scams linked to over $45 million in losses and identified 1,247 victims across Africa and beyond.
Authorities seized 2,341 devices and dismantled 1,442 malicious domains, IP addresses, and servers. Key cases included dismantling Nigerian investment fraud rings, arrests tied to telecom platform breaches, Kenyan fake investment schemes, and Côte d’Ivoire mobile loan fraud networks targeting vulnerable victims.
INTERPOL emphasized that coordinated international action is critical to fighting organized cybercrime, noting that these operations cause significant financial and psychological harm. The latest operation follows the first Red Card phase, which led to 306 arrests and the seizure of 1,842 devices in 2024–2025.
