How Interpol arrest 5,800 suspects, intercept $293 million for global fraud bust

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on Thursday say dem arrest more dan 5,800 suspects, recova more dan $293 million and identify more dan 142,000 victims, inside one major crackdown against criminals across 97 kontris.

According to Interpol, dis na di result of 'Operation First Light 2026' wey run between January 15 and April 30, 2026 to highlight di global scale of social engineering fraud, and associated money laundering.

Di world largest international police network say dem target di criminal networks wey dey behind business email compromise, investment scams, sextortion and romance fraud and uncova more dan 142,000 victims worldwide.

Dem say dem analyse 152,808 cases and solve 23,715 cases, block 31,014 bank accounts, identify 15,606 suspects, and issue 99 Interpol Notices and Diffusions.

Some of di bank account wey dem freeze rely on I-GRIP, Interpol stop-payment mechanism wey go stop flow of both traditional money and virtual assets.

Director of Interpol, Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, say social engineering scams na serious threat to di society as criminal groups dey use human psychology to manipulate dia target, and no kontri fit dey safe if all kontris no join hand to fight dis syndicates back.

"Interpol dey dedicated to support member kontris to build beta plan, cordinated strategy wey go fit tackle cyber-enabled financial crimes, organized criminal networks and money laundering wey dey fuel di network," e tok.

Becos of di high rate of digital fraud for Eswantini, Interpol send Operational Support Team to analyse electronic devices.

Interpol arrest 82 pipo, 240 electronic devices, foreign currencies ova dia illegal online gambling, money laundering and impersonation scam network.

For Thailand, One 20-year-old move more dan $122.5 million inside im cryptocurrency wallet within 10 months as part of scheme to launder money wey dem steal from romance scam victims, Interpol tok, as one of di major cases from di worldwide anti-fraud operation.

Also for Thailand, police arrest two pipo and discova money laundering scheme wey dey fuel illicit funds from romance scams wey dey enta different cryptocurrencies, dem dey use cross-chain token swaps to hide di money trail.

Authorities for Singapore and Oman use I-GRIP block $6.6 million illegal transfer wey connect to Business Email Compromise scam. Dem say one Singapore-based commodity trading firm na criminal wey dey impersonate supplier target.

For China, Interpol carry out anti-fraud community outreach as part of 'Operation First Light 2026'.

Police for Macao discova one of di public participants wey criminal syndicate dey manipulate, dem dey impersonate public officials and den deceive di victim to transfer money under di guise of fraud investigation.

Interpol tok say police authorities for Macao intervene bifor di victim send almost $372,000 to di fraudsters.

Authorities for Palau deport 22 pipo becos of dia connection to two scam centres wey dey operate from hotels. Di suspects dey use cryptocurrency and illegal gambling websites to target victims for foreign kontris, dem dey operate different kinds of online fraud schemes.

Interpol tok say di operation show how important international cooperation across kontris dey help fight cyber-enabled financial crime and scata criminal syndicates wey dey run am.

Dis no be di first time Interpol go run dis kain operation across di world. For January, Interpol across 16 African kontris arrest 651 suspects and recova more dan $4.3 million.

During di eight-week operation, investigations expose scams wey dey linked to ova $45 million in financial losses and dem identify 1,247 victims, wey mostly come from African continent and from oda regions of di world.

Police authorities for Nigeria scata one cybercriminal network wey 419 pipo dey use operate one high-yield investment schemes.

Investigators also delete ova 1000 magomago social media accounts and discova building wey dey serve as dia criminal base.

Authorities also arrest six members of one cybercrime syndicate ontop accuse say dem penetrate di internal systems of one telecommunications company wit di assistance of one compromised employee credentials, wey allow dem to siphon airtime and data for illegal resale for Nigeria.