Around 3,500 people have been arrested and approximately $300 million seized in a major international operation against cybercriminals, led by Interpol and partners in 34 countries. The six-month operation, codenamed HAECHI IV, targeted various cybercrimes including voice phishing, romance scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, money laundering, business email compromise fraud, and ecommerce fraud.
Interpol’s Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) was utilized to freeze bank accounts and seize virtual assets of the criminals. Notably, a notorious high-profile online gambling criminal who had been wanted for two years was among those arrested, and their illegal gambling network was dismantled.
The seizure of USD 300 million represents a staggering sum and clearly illustrates the incentive behind today’s explosive growth of transnational organized crime, expressed Stephen Kavanagh, Interpol’s Executive Director of Police Services. He emphasized that this illicit wealth poses a significant threat to global security and weakens the economic stability of nations worldwide, as it consists of funds that victims have painstakingly accumulated.
Investment fraud, business email compromise, and e-commerce fraud made up 75% of the cases investigated in HAECHI IV. The operation also led to the apprehension of individuals behind cryptocurrency scams, specifically the notorious rug pull schemes. Some criminals deceived investors by selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and promising substantial returns, only to abscond with the investors’ money. Additionally, certain cybercriminals used artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology to enhance the credibility of their scams and conceal their identities effectively.
Participating countries in HAECHI IV included the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, and Sweden.
This major operation conducted by Interpol and its international partners signifies a substantial strike against cybercriminals involved in a wide range of illicit activities. With arrests made and significant amounts of money seized, law enforcement agencies aim to severely disrupt the operations of these cybercriminal networks. The success of HAECHI IV brings hope for increased global security and economic stability in the face of transnational organized crime.
