Compiled By: Malami Haruna Dogon daji
OCTOBER, 2026
A major international operation has dealt a heavy blow to cybercrime in West Africa, as global law enforcement and major technology companies removed millions of fraudulent accounts and rescued human trafficking victims.
A coordinated international operation known as “Joint Disruption Week” successfully targeted online scam accounts and criminal enterprises operating out of West Africa. The operation was hosted in London by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The US Department of Justice announced the collaborative results, emphasizing a unified international defense against digital fraud.
“Transnational fraud demands a transnational response. I have partnered with the NCA and the Crown Prosecutor for England and Wales to push forward cases on both sides of the Atlantic; criminals are not hindered by borders and neither are we. We will deploy our team wherever in the world transnational criminals target innocent victims.” — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia and founder of the Justice Department’s Scam Center Strike Force
How Tech Giants and Security Agencies Fought Back
Private-sector partners played an essential role by identifying malicious infrastructure and taking swift preventative measures. According to the DOJ, participating companies voluntarily took action on their own networks, reporting that they removed accounts and shared leads on more than 30 suspected scam centres. Notably, Meta reported the removal of more than 3.7 million accounts, pages, and groups from Facebook and Instagram that were impersonating American and British users.
Law enforcement agencies and corporate partners achieved significant operational milestones during the crackdown:
- 28 arrests connected directly to criminal scam operations.
- 117 human trafficking victims rescued from scam compounds in Ghana, who were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria.
- Over $11 million in potentially freezable funds identified.
- Seizures of hundreds of electronic devices across enforcement sites in Ghana (303 devices) and Nigeria (53 devices).
“Thanks to brilliant partnership with the Department of Justice and the private sector, across multiple African countries, we arrested dozens of criminal actors, seized hundreds of devices, identified at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds, and truly saved lives. This is what happens when law enforcement executes with precision across the interagency. We are demolishing Scam Centers across the globe and crushing a criminal industry preying on American citizens.” — FBI Director Kash Patel
Context Box: Operation Results at a Glance
- Fraudulent Accounts Removed: 3.7 million (Meta)
- Suspected Scam Centres Identified: 30
- Confirmed Arrests: 28
- Trafficking Victims Rescued: 117
- Devices Seized: 356 total across Nigeria and Ghana
- Potential Losses Prevented: $415,000 (Coinbase)
The Social Call-to-Action (CTA): What measures do you think local authorities and technology companies should implement next to protect citizens from online fraud? Share your thoughts on NTA’s digital channels @ NTANetwork
