A continent-wide operation has led to the arrest of 260 suspects in Africa over romance scams, sextortion, and other cybercrimes, INTERPOL announced.
The two-week crackdown, codenamed Operation Contender 3.0, ran from July 28 to August 11, 2025, across 14 African countries.
Police seized over 1,200 electronic devices, dismantled 81 online infrastructures, and identified nearly 1,500 victims.
Losses linked to the scams are estimated at $2.8 million.
According to investigators, suspects used fake profiles and stolen images on social media and dating platforms to lure victims into fraudulent relationships.
In sextortion cases, criminals threatened to release explicit images and videos unless victims paid ransoms.
Ghana recorded the highest number of arrests, detaining 68 suspects and recovering $70,000 in stolen funds.
In Senegal, 22 suspects were accused of posing as celebrities to defraud more than 120 people.
Police in Côte d’Ivoire also broke up a sextortion network linked to over 800 victims.
Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s acting executive director of police services, warned that the rapid growth of online platforms has created new opportunities for organized cybercrime.
“These crimes cause not only financial damage but also deep psychological harm,” Gout said.
“International cooperation is essential to protect communities and bring offenders to justice.”
Authorities say the operation highlights how cybercrime has become one of Africa’s fastest-growing security threats and reinforces the need for cross-border collaboration to safeguard internet users.
