Interpol Targets West African Crime Networks in Global Crypto Crackdown

The operation, which ran from November 2025 through June 2026, focused on the infrastructure supporting illicit financial flows. Investigators identified 263 additional suspects linked to networks such as Black Axe, known for outsourcing technical operations through dark web 'Crime-as-a-Service' providers. By tracking shell companies and digital wallets, authorities disrupted the logistical chain that allowed these groups to convert, retain, and launder stolen funds.

South Africa served as a primary hub for enforcement, where police conducted raids in Johannesburg that led to 39 arrests and the blocking of 257 bank accounts. Simultaneously, an investigation in Romania dismantled a call center operation accused of defrauding investors of approximately €143 million. While INTERPOL’s data indicates varied arrest totals across participating nations including Argentina and Italy, the agency emphasized that the core strategy was to sever the financial lifelines of these criminal enterprises. Tomonobu Kaya, director of the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, stated that attacking these cross-border flows makes it increasingly difficult for networks to sustain their operations.