Fifty-eight individuals connected to organized West African cyber-crime groups were arrested in a coordinated operation across 22 countries and six continents. Dubbed ‘Operation Jackal IV’, the effort was led by the global policing agency Interpol to target those involved in romance and investment scams. During the operation, 263 suspects were identified.

Global Response to Escalating Cyber Threats

Interpol described the operation as a response to the growing global threat posed by these criminal networks. Among the targeted groups is the feared Nigerian Black Axe, believed to be behind a significant share of cyber-enabled financial fraud. The operation also focused on analyzing emerging trends such as the use of sextortion to target minors, with victims as young as 14 years old.

Operation Jackal IV, which took place between November 2025 and June 2026, examined how these groups launder money and how financial fraud cyber crimes, such as cryptocurrency and email compromise fraud, are conducted. The scams often targeted ‘retirees in English-speaking countries,’ according to Interpol.

International Cooperation and Financial Impact

‘By following illicit financial flows across borders, we are attacking the very lifeblood of organized crime and making it increasingly difficult for criminal networks to profit from their activities,’ said Tomonobu Kaya, director of Interpol’s financial crime centre, in a statement. ‘Operation Jackal IV demonstrates the power of international co-operation.’ During the operation, Interpol facilitated cross-border coordination and intelligence sharing and also provided support and specialized training for money-laundering investigations in participating countries.

Preliminary outcomes of the operation included arrests in Argentina, Italy, Romania, and South Africa. In South Africa, seven sites linked to a syndicate involved in romance and investment scams were raided. The policing agency was present in Johannesburg to support local authorities during the raids. South African police made 39 arrests, seized $2.67 million (£1.96 million), and blocked 257 bank accounts.

Broader Criminal Activities and Previous Operations

Interpol stated that, in addition to cyber-enabled fraud, the West African networks also participated in other serious and violent crimes. Operation Jackal IV is one of several ‘Jackal’ police operations that have taken place since 2022. In 2024, Jackal III led to the arrests of 300 people linked to Black Axe and other affiliated groups.

Black Axe is a shadowy criminal network with trafficking, prostitution, and killing operations around the world. Nigeria is its main recruitment ground, and many of its members are university educated and inducted during their schooling. The ongoing investigation into Operation Jackal IV continues to reveal the extent of these criminal networks and their global reach.