Interpol’s latest operation, Jackal IV, has made significant strides in targeting West African organized crime groups involved in cyber-enabled financial fraud and other criminal activities. Over the course of eight months, the operation identified 263 suspects and successfully secured 58 arrests across 22 countries on six continents.
The main objective of Operation Jackal IV, which ran from November 2025 to June 2026, was to disrupt money laundering activities, identify high-value targets, seize assets, and support arrests and prosecutions. This operation follows the success of Operation Jackal III in 2024, which resulted in 300 arrests, as well as other Interpol-led operations targeting African cybercrime.
One of the notable achievements of Operation Jackal IV was in South Africa, where authorities raided seven locations linked to a syndicate running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. As a result, 39 individuals were arrested, 257 bank accounts were blocked, and $2.67 million was seized.
In Romania, authorities dismantled a group operating an investment scam through a call center that promised high returns from stocks and cryptocurrencies. This network was responsible for an estimated €143 million in stolen and laundered funds. Police arrested 11 individuals and seized approximately €330,000 ($385,000) in cash and cryptocurrency, as well as six properties and luxury watches.
Additionally, a 196-person Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS) network in Argentina was identified during the operation. This network allegedly provided website domains and money laundering support to West African organized crime groups. Police arrested 17 individuals associated with this network.
Tomonobu Kaya, the director of the Interpol Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, emphasized the importance of following illicit financial flows across borders to target the “lifeblood of organized crime.” In addition to financial fraud, investigators also noted an increase in sextortion cases targeting minors, with victims as young as 14 years old. Some criminal networks were found to have outsourced activities such as money laundering through external CaaS providers.
The success of Operation Jackal IV highlights Interpol’s commitment to combating organized crime on a global scale. By working collaboratively across borders, law enforcement agencies can effectively disrupt criminal networks and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.