Interpol's Operation Red Card 2.0 Leads to 651 Arrests and $4.3 Million Recovery in African Cybercrime Crackdown
The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has announced a significant victory in the fight against transnational cybercrime, with law enforcement agencies across Africa arresting 651 suspects and recovering more than $4.3 million. This major crackdown, codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0, targeted sophisticated online fraud schemes that have inflicted substantial financial and psychological harm on victims.
Operation Details and Scope
According to a press statement issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026, the operation ran from December 8, 2025, to January 30, 2026. It focused on dismantling the infrastructure and actors behind high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud, and fraudulent loan applications. Investigations during this eight-week period uncovered scams linked to over $45 million in financial losses and identified 1,247 victims, predominantly from Africa but also including individuals from other regions worldwide.
Authorities seized 2,341 devices and took down 1,442 malicious IP addresses, domains, and servers, effectively disrupting the operational capabilities of these criminal networks. Interpol played a crucial role by facilitating critical intelligence sharing, real-time information exchange, and capacity-building activities, such as training on digital forensic tools.
Country-Specific Successes
In Nigeria, police dismantled a high-yield investment fraud ring that recruited young individuals to carry out cyber-enabled crimes. These activities included phishing, identity theft, social engineering, and fake digital asset investment schemes. Over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts were taken down, and investigators uncovered a residential property constructed by the syndicate ringleader to serve as the operational hub for these criminal activities.
Kenyan authorities made 27 arrests linked to fraud schemes that used messaging apps, social media, and fictitious testimonials to lure victims into making fake investments in reputable global corporations. Scammers solicited small initial investments—as low as $50—with promises of lucrative returns. Victims were shown fabricated account statements or dashboards, but withdrawal requests were systematically blocked.
In Côte d’Ivoire, law enforcement made 58 arrests and seized 240 mobile phones, 25 laptops, and over 300 SIM cards in a targeted operation against mobile loan fraud. These scams predominantly targeted vulnerable populations through deceptive mobile applications and messaging services, attracting victims with promises of quick, unsecured loans, only to impose fees, enforce abusive debt-collection practices, and illicitly harvest sensitive personal and financial data.
Additional Cybercrime Disruptions
In a separate major success for Nigerian authorities, six members of a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate were arrested for infiltrating the internal platform of a major telecommunications provider through compromised staff login credentials. An investigation led to the disruption of the scheme, which involved siphoning significant volumes of airtime and data for illegal resale.
Collaborative Efforts and Support
During Operation Red Card 2.0, Interpol worked closely with partners including Cybercrime Atlas, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Uppsala Security, leveraging their data and expertise to provide critical intelligence to participating countries. The operation was conducted under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC), an initiative funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe, provided operation-specific support. Participating member countries included Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Official Statements and Implications
Neal Jetton, Interpol’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, emphasized the devastating impact of these organized cybercriminal syndicates. “These organized cybercriminal syndicates inflict devastating financial and psychological harm on individuals, businesses and entire communities with their false promises. Operation Red Card highlights the importance of collaboration when combatting transnational cybercrime. I encourage all victims of cybercrime to reach out to law enforcement for help,” he stated.
This operation underscores the growing threat of online scams in Africa and the critical need for international cooperation to combat them. The recovery of $4.3 million and the arrests of 651 suspects mark a significant step forward in protecting citizens from financial exploitation and enhancing cybersecurity across the continent.
