Fifty-eight people linked to organised West African cybercrime groups have been arrested across 22 countries and six continents as part of an international operation targeting romance and investment scams.

The operation, known as “Operation Jackal IV”, was coordinated by Interpol and also identified 263 suspects linked to the criminal networks. The agency said the crackdown was aimed at disrupting groups such as the Nigerian Black Axe network, which it believes is responsible for a “significant share” of cyber-enabled financial fraud.

The operation ran from November 2025 to June 2026 and focused on how the networks carried out financial crimes and moved illicit proceeds across borders. Investigators examined crimes including cryptocurrency fraud and email compromise, as well as the methods used to launder money.

Interpol said the operation also exposed emerging threats, including the use of sextortion against minors, with some victims as young as 14. The groups were also found to target retirees in English-speaking countries.

“By following illicit financial flows across borders, we are attacking the very lifeblood of organised crime and making it increasingly difficult for criminal networks to profit from their activities,” Tomonobu Kaya, director of Interpol’s financial crime centre, said in a statement.

“Operation Jackal IV demonstrates the power of international co-operation.”

Interpol supported participating countries through cross-border coordination and intelligence sharing, while also providing specialist training and assistance for money-laundering investigations.

Preliminary results from the operation included arrests in Argentina, Italy, Romania and South Africa, although Interpol said several aspects of the investigation were still ongoing.

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In South Africa, authorities raided seven locations allegedly connected to a syndicate involved in romance and investment scams. Interpol officers were present in Johannesburg to assist local law enforcement during the raids.

South African police arrested 39 people, seized $2.67m (£1.96m) and blocked 257 bank accounts as part of the operation.

Beyond cyber-enabled financial fraud, Interpol said the West African networks were involved in other serious and violent crimes.

Operation Jackal IV is the latest in a series of international police operations targeting these networks since 2022. Jackal III, conducted in 2024, resulted in the arrests of 300 people linked to Black Axe and affiliated groups.

Black Axe is described as a shadowy criminal network involved in trafficking, prostitution and killings in different parts of the world. Nigeria remains its main recruitment ground, with many members reportedly university educated and recruited during their time in school.

(BBC News)