Interpol and African Countries Join Forces to Bust Cross-Border Crime Ring
1,842 devices were confiscated as part of the operation.
Africa.- Over 306 individuals have been arrested in a massive crackdown on cross-border gambling and financial fraud in Africa.
In November 2024, Interpol launched Operation Red Card, a coordinated effort with African law enforcement agencies to dismantle organised crime networks involved in financial cybercrime across the continent.
Officials reported that criminals used a range of tactics, such as phishing attacks, hacking, investment fraud and online gambling to defraud over 5,000 victims in seven African countries.
The operation, which ended in February 2025, yielded results, with several suspects arrested in multiple countries.
130 individuals were taken into custody in Nigeria, 113 of whom were foreign nationals allegedly involved in gambling-related offences. Nigerian authorities suspect that some of these foreigners may have been victims of human trafficking.
45 people were arrested in Rwanda, while 40 arrests were made in South Africa. Zambia saw the lowest number of arrests at 14.
Nigerian authorities confiscated assets belonging to the suspects, including 26 vehicles, 16 houses, 39 land parcels and 685 electronic devices. In South Africa, authorities seized over 1,000 sim cards and 53 cars. In Rwanda, officials confiscated 292 electronic devices and over $103,000 in cash.
According to officials, the confiscated devices will disrupt the criminal operation and provide investigators with valuable data to support ongoing efforts to combat crime.
Neal Jetton, director of the cybercrime directorate at Interpol, said: “The success of Operation Red Card demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating cybercrime, which knows no borders and can have devastating effects on individuals and communities. The recovery of significant assets and devices, as well as the arrest of key suspects, sends a strong message to cybercriminals that their activities will not go unpunished.”
