Law enforcement agencies from 22 countries have arrested 58 individuals and identified 263 suspects linked to cybercrime networks coordinated by African crime groups, Interpol announced.
The “Operation Jackal IV” international joint action targeted West African criminal networks between November 2025 and June 2026. The operation also focused on disrupting the Black Axe cybercrime syndicate, known for its involvement in global-scale cyber-enabled financial fraud.
Most commonly, Black Axe and similar criminal rings target victims in romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment scams, or business email compromise fraud, but they have often also been linked to violent crimes.
Arrests Across the Globe
During Operation Jackal IV:
- Argentina: Law enforcement made 17 arrests and linked 196 suspects to a major Crime-as-a-Service network that provided West African organized crime groups with web domains and money-laundering support.
- South Africa: Authorities arrested 39 individuals, blocked 257 bank accounts, and seized $2.67 million from a criminal syndicate that targeted retirees in English-speaking countries in investment and romance scams.
- Romania: Police arrested 11 suspects, part of a criminal group linked to a call center that used high returns in stocks or cryptocurrencies to bait victims into sophisticated investment scams.
- Italy: Authorities identified one suspect linked to a pan-European money laundering network that laundered money via shell companies, remittance services, and cash withdrawals.
The Criminal Methods
“Offenders typically contact minors via social media, build trust and coerce them into sharing explicit images or videos. They then threaten to distribute this material to the victim’s contacts unless a ransom is paid,” Interpol said.
“Some of these criminal syndicates were also observed procuring Crime-as-a-Service from external providers, often through the dark web, to outsource key activities like money laundering and other critical operations.”
Other Operations
Between December 8 and January 30, African authorities arrested 651 suspects in another Interpol-coordinated joint police action, codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0, that spanned 16 countries.
In July, Interpol announced that law enforcement agencies arrested 5,811 suspects and seized $293 million in illicit assets in a global anti-fraud operation dubbed “Operation First Light 2026,” involving investigators from 97 countries.
The Bottom Line
Operation Jackal IV, an Interpol-led global cybercrime crackdown, resulted in 58 arrests across 22 countries. The operation targeted West African criminal networks and the Black Axe syndicate, known for romance scams, investment fraud, and business email compromise. Authorities in Argentina, South Africa, Romania, and Italy made significant arrests and seized millions in illicit funds. The operation is part of a broader international effort to combat cybercrime.
