INTERPOL operation leads to 5,800 arrests and seizes USD 293 million in global fraud crackdown

More than 5,800 people have been arrested and illicit assets worth approximately USD 293 million

More than 5,800 people have been arrested and illicit assets worth approximately USD 293 million intercepted during a major INTERPOL-led operation targeting international fraud and money laundering networks spanning 97 countries.

The operation, codenamed Operation First Light 2026, exposed the vast scale of social engineering fraud, including business email compromise, investment scams, romance fraud and sextortion, while identifying more than 142,000 victims worldwide.

According to INTERPOL, law enforcement agencies analysed 152,808 cases, successfully solved 23,715 investigations, identified 15,606 suspects, blocked 31,014 bank accounts, and issued 99 INTERPOL Notices and Diffusions to facilitate international cooperation and the apprehension of suspects.

A key feature of the operation was the use of INTERPOL’s Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism, which enabled participating countries to rapidly freeze both traditional (fiat) and virtual criminal assets before they could be moved or laundered.

INTERPOL said the coordinated international effort demonstrates the growing sophistication and global reach of organised fraud networks, which increasingly exploit digital platforms and cross-border financial systems to target individuals and businesses.

The organisation stressed that close international cooperation, intelligence sharing and rapid financial intervention remain essential in disrupting criminal networks, recovering stolen assets and protecting potential victims from further financial losses.

Operation First Light 2026 involved law enforcement agencies across 97 countries, underlining the importance of collective action in tackling cyber-enabled financial crime and transnational organised fraud.