In a major international crackdown coordinated by INTERPOL, law enforcement across 16 African countries arrested 651 suspects and recovered $4.3 million in illicit funds.

The sting, known as Operation Red Card 2.0, took place between December 2025 and January 2026, targeting the digital infrastructure used by organized crime syndicates.

Operation Highlights

• Financial Impact: Beyond the $4.3 million recovered, authorities linked the networks to over $45 million in total losses.
• Network Takedown: Police seized 2,341 electronic devices and neutralized 1,442 malicious IP addresses and servers used to host phishing sites and fake loan apps.
• Victim Support: The operation identified 1,247 victims worldwide who had been targeted by investment scams and mobile money fraud.

Regional Successes

• Nigeria: Police dismantled a syndicate that infiltrated a major telecom provider’s internal systems to steal and resell airtime and data.
• Kenya: Authorities arrested 27 individuals tied to high-yield investment schemes that used fake account statements to deceive investors.
• Côte d’Ivoire: Law enforcement shut down a network of fraudulent mobile loan apps that charged hidden fees and used harassment to collect payments.

This initiative follows a pattern of increased cooperation between African national police and the INTERPOL African Operations Support to combat the rising tide of cyber-enabled crime across the continent.