INTERPOL Arrests 5,811 Suspects, Seizes $293m in 97 Countries
- INTERPOL's Operation First Light 2026 ran from January 15 to April 30, 2026, spanning 97 countries and territories
- The operation led to 5,811 arrests and the interception of approximately $293m in illicit assets tied to online scams
- More than 142,000 victims were identified globally, with major breakthroughs recorded in Eswatini, Thailand, Singapore and Oman
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
A sweeping international anti-fraud operation coordinated by INTERPOL has resulted in the arrest of 5,811 individuals and the seizure of roughly $293 million in illicit assets,
The global policing organisation announced on Thursday, July 9, 2026, that the operation, known as Operation First Light 2026, ran from January 15 to April 30, 2026.
INTERPOL explained that the operation brought together law enforcement agencies from 97 countries and territories in a coordinated crackdown on social engineering scams and related money laundering activities.
As reported by The Punch, targeted crime types included business email compromise, sext0rtion, romance scams, impersonation fraud and investment fraud.
Scale of INTERPOL global crackdown
Beyond the arrests and asset seizures, authorities analysed 152,808 cases, resolved 23,715 of them, identified 15,606 suspects, blocked 31,014 bank accounts and issued 99 INTERPOL Notices and Diffusions.
More than 142,000 victims were identified worldwide, highlighting the breadth of financial harm caused by these schemes.
Enforcement actions included raids on suspected criminal locations, the freezing of bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, and the deployment of INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments mechanism to intercept suspicious financial transfers in real time.
Director of the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, Tomonobu Kaya, said criminal networks operating these schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
"Criminal syndicates exploit human psychology to manipulate their targets, and no nation can stay safe unless all countries are equipped and committed to jointly fighting back."
Kaya added that INTERPOL would continue supporting member countries in building coordinated strategies against cyber-enabled financial crimes and organised criminal networks.
INTERPOL key arrests across multiple countries
Several countries recorded notable breakthroughs. In Eswatini, police arrested 82 people in connection with an illegal online gambling and impersonation fraud network.
Officers seized 240 electronic devices, foreign currencies and a replica of a Brazilian police station, complete with counterfeit uniforms and equipment allegedly used to deceive victims into believing they were engaging with genuine law enforcement.
In Thailand, two suspects were arrested over a romance scam and a cryptocurrency money laundering network.
Investigators established that one suspect's digital wallet had processed more than $122.5 million in illicit funds within just 10 months.
Singapore and Oman worked together to block a fraudulent transfer of $6.6 million linked to a business email compromise scheme targeting a commodity trading company.
In Macao, police intervened to stop a victim from sending nearly $372,000 to fraudsters who had posed as government officials, with officers identifying the scam during a community outreach campaign.
In Palau, 22 individuals allegedly connected to scam centres operating out of hotels were deported. Authorities said the suspects had been targeting foreign victims through cryptocurrency platforms and illegal gambling websites.
INTERPOL described the operation as a demonstration of what sustained international cooperation can achieve against the criminal networks driving cyber-enabled financial fraud.
Source: Legit.ng
