An INTERPOL-led operation, dubbed “Operation Red Card,” has resulted in the arrest of over 306 individuals suspected of involvement in various cyber crimes across seven African countries.
This operation, conducted from November 2024 to February 2025, targeted mobile banking, investment, and messaging app scams, among others.
The collaborative effort involved law enforcement agencies from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia.
Key Highlights of Operation Red Card
- Nigeria: The Nigerian police apprehended 130 individuals, including 113 foreign nationals, for their alleged roles in cyber-enabled scams such as online casino and investment fraud. These suspects converted their illicit proceeds into digital assets to evade detection.
- Zambia: Fourteen suspects were arrested for being part of a syndicate that used malicious links to hack into victims’ phones, gaining access to banking apps via compromised messaging accounts.
- Rwanda: Authorities arrested 45 individuals for involvement in social engineering scams that defrauded victims of over USD 305,000 in 2024. Tactics included posing as telecom employees or impersonating family members seeking financial aid.
- South Africa: Local authorities arrested 40 individuals and seized over 1,000 SIM cards and several desktops linked to a sophisticated SIM box fraud scheme. This setup is commonly used to reroute international calls as local ones for large-scale SMS phishing attacks.
Impact and Response
Operation Red Card was facilitated through INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) and was enriched by threat intelligence data shared by Kaspersky. The operation resulted in the seizure of 1,842 devices.
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, emphasized the operation’s success as a demonstration of international cooperation in fighting cybercrime.
“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,” Jetton stated.
This partnership aims to enhance cyber safety by sharing data on local cyber threats and trends.
Operation Red Card underscores the effectiveness of international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, collaborative efforts between public and private sectors are crucial to creating a more resilient cyber environment.
With the recovery of assets and the arrest of key suspects, this operation sends a clear message to cybercriminals across the globe.
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