INTERPOL Operation Jackal IV arrests 58, targets West African crime networks
An eight-month INTERPOL operation called Jackal IV, running from November 2025 to June 2026, has resulted in the arrest of 58 suspects and the identification of 263 others tied to West African organised crime groups. The operation spanned 22 countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, France, the US and the UK, and focused on money-laundering networks such as the Black Axe, cyber-enabled fraud, romance and investment scams, and a rise in sextortion targeting minors as young as 14.
Police in South Africa raided seven Johannesburg locations, seizing $2.67 million and blocking 257 bank accounts linked to romance and investment scams aimed at retirees in English-speaking countries. In Argentina, 196 people were identified as allegedly connected to a crime-as-a-service network that supplies website domains and money-laundering support to West African groups; 17 were arrested. In Romania, an investment-call-centre scam led to 11 arrests, the seizure of roughly €330,000 (about $379,000) in cash and crypto, six properties and luxury watches.
Interpol's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre director said following illicit money flows across borders weakens criminal profits. For Nigerians, the operation highlights how local syndicates fuel global fraud that victimises both foreigners and vulnerable youths at home.
What steps will you take to guard against online scams, protect minors from sextortion, and report suspicious financial offers?