An eight-month international operation targeting West African organized crime networks has resulted in 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects, according to INTERPOL.
Operation Jackal IV ran from November 2025 through June 2026 and focused on disrupting money laundering networks, identifying high-value criminal targets, seizing illicit assets and supporting arrests and prosecutions. The operation involved 22 countries across six continents as authorities responded to the growing global threat from West African criminal networks, including Black Axe and similar groups.
INTERPOL said these networks are responsible for a significant portion of cyber-enabled financial fraud around the world. Their activities include romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment scams and business email compromise, alongside other serious and violent crimes.
During the operation, INTERPOL coordinated cross-border investigations and intelligence sharing while providing analytical assistance, operational support and specialized training to strengthen international money laundering investigations.
Tomonobu Kaya, Director of the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, said Operation Jackal IV showed the importance of international cooperation in following illicit money across borders and targeting the financial infrastructure that allows organized crime groups to operate.
In Argentina, investigators identified 196 people linked to a major Crime-as-a-Service network suspected of providing website domains and money laundering services to West African organized crime groups. The investigation resulted in 17 arrests, while an INTERPOL Operational Support Team helped analyze seized data, identify criminal networks and develop investigative leads with international partners.
South African authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg connected to a syndicate running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. The operation uncovered an organized structure in which members worked as “conversion” and “retention” agents at different stages of the scams. Authorities seized approximately USD 2.67 million, blocked 257 bank accounts and arrested 39 people.
In Italy, investigators identified one person connected to a pan-European money laundering network that used shell companies, remittance services and cash withdrawals to hide the origins of criminal funds. One account processed EUR 845,000, or around USD 736,000, through 560 transactions involving 20 different financial instruments.
Romanian authorities also dismantled a criminal group operating an investment scam through a call centre. The group promised victims high returns from stock and cryptocurrency investments before transferring their money into electronic wallets controlled by the criminals. Investigators estimated that around EUR 143 million had been stolen and laundered globally. Eleven people were arrested, while police seized about EUR 330,000 in cash and cryptocurrency, six real estate properties and several luxury watches.
Operation Jackal IV also highlighted emerging threats, including the increasing use of sextortion by West African organized crime groups against minors. In some cases, victims were as young as 14. Criminals typically contacted victims through social media, developed relationships of trust and persuaded them to share explicit images or videos before threatening to distribute the material unless a ransom was paid.
Investigators also found that some organized crime groups were turning to Crime-as-a-Service providers, including services offered through the dark web, to outsource activities such as money laundering and other parts of their criminal operations.
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The countries participating in Operation Jackal IV were Austria, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
