International law enforcement crackdown targets West African cybercrime networks

An international law enforcement operation, part of a “Joint Disruption Week,” has targeted cybercrime networks operating across West Africa. The coordinated effort, hosted by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), involved agencies from the United States, United Kingdom, Ghana, Nigeria, Australia, Canada, India, and New Zealand, alongside INTERPOL and major technology companies including Meta, Microsoft, and Google.

In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 individuals and seized 303 electronic devices. The operation uncovered US$8.3 million in losses suffered by 89 scam victims and identified 117 suspected human trafficking victims awaiting repatriation to Nigeria.

Across the broader coordinated action involving Ghana and Nigeria, approximately 28 arrests were made. The initiative resulted in the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent social media accounts, pages, and groups. Investigators also identified over US$11 million in potentially recoverable funds. The crackdown focused on dismantling criminal infrastructure used for investment and impersonation fraud, specifically targeting networks that exploit digital platforms and cryptocurrency schemes to target victims globally.