Washington, October 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
An international crackdown involving law enforcement agencies from the United States, India and several other countries has disrupted major online fraud networks operating from West Africa, leading to 28 arrests, the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent social media accounts and the identification of 117 suspected human trafficking victims, the US Justice Department said on Tuesday.
The week-long operation, which began on October 6, also identified more than $11 million in potentially freezable funds and generated intelligence on over 30 suspected scam centres.
The coordinated effort brought together authorities from the US, Britain, India, Canada, Australia, Nigeria and Ghana, alongside international police organisations and major technology and financial companies. According to the Justice Department, it was the first international operation specifically targeting West African scam networks.
Investigators focused on criminal enterprises involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud, impersonation schemes, digital arrest extortion and other online scams targeting victims in the US, Britain and other countries.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 suspects in Sasaabi, near Accra, and seized 303 electronic devices. Investigators identified 117 suspected human trafficking victims who were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria. Another 89 fraud victims were identified, with their estimated losses totalling $8.3 million.
In Nigeria, authorities arrested nine suspects and seized 53 electronic devices during the operation.
India was among the participating countries, although the Justice Department did not specify the role of Indian investigators or confirm whether any arrests were made in India.
The operation was coordinated through an international Joint Disruption Week hosted by Britain’s National Crime Agency in London. Technology and financial companies, including Meta, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, OpenAI, Binance, Coinbase, Chainalysis and Starlink, also participated.
The Justice Department said private companies voluntarily removed fraudulent accounts, pages and groups from their platforms and shared intelligence with law enforcement. They also helped identify suspected scam centres and trace cryptocurrency linked to criminal activities.
“Transnational fraud demands a transnational response,” said Jeanine Ferris Pirro, US Attorney for the District of Columbia and founder of the Scam Center Strike Force.
FBI Director Kash Patel said cooperation between governments and private companies had helped authorities arrest suspects, seize devices, identify potentially recoverable funds and protect victims.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva described the operation as the beginning of a broader effort to dismantle international cybercrime networks, adding that the arrests and removal of millions of fraudulent accounts were only the start.
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