Interpol Arrests 68 Ghanaians, 260 Total in Africa
Interpol has arrested 260 suspects across 14 African countries in a coordinated operation targeting online romance and extortion scams that defrauded more than 1,400 victims of nearly US$2.8 million.
According to DW Africa, the crackdown underscores the escalating threat of digital fraud schemes that exploit vulnerable people worldwide.
In Ghana, security agencies arrested 68 suspects, seized 835 electronic devices, and identified 108 victims. Investigations revealed financial losses of about US$450,000, of which US$70,000 was recovered. The scams included fake online profiles, stolen photos, and forged identities used to demand bogus courier and customs fees. In sextortion cases, perpetrators secretly recorded explicit video chats and blackmailed victims with the footage.
Senegalese police arrested 22 suspects who ran a network impersonating celebrities on social media and dating platforms. The group defrauded 120 people of roughly US$34,000, with authorities also seizing 65 devices, forged IDs, and money transfer records.
In Côte d’Ivoire, security forces dismantled a cybercrime ring that created fake online identities to trick victims into sharing intimate images, later used for blackmail. Police arrested 24 suspects, confiscated 29 devices, and identified 809 victims.
In Angola, eight suspects were arrested after targeting 28 local and international victims on social media. The group used fraudulent documents to create false identities for financial transactions.
Interpol stressed that the coordinated arrests highlight the global reach of romance-related scams and sextortion schemes, which prey on trust and emotional vulnerability. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cross-border cooperation and intelligence sharing to disrupt the criminal networks behind such fraud.
Source – My News Ghana
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