INTERPOL’s recent operation, known as HAECHI IV, concluded with the arrest of approximately 3,500 individuals across various countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and others, and the seizure of $300 million in assets. The six-month operation, which focused on seven categories of cyber-enabled scams, targeted offenses such as voice phishing, romantic scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, money laundering related to illicit online gambling, business email compromise fraud, and e-commerce fraud.
The extensive operation spanned 34 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Ghana, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Korea, Romania, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Viet Nam.
INTERPOL reported that investigators collaborated to identify and combat online fraud, utilizing the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) stop-payment mechanism. This mechanism allowed nations to work together to block criminal proceeds and freeze associated bank and virtual asset service provider (VASP) accounts.
During the operation, a significant online gambling offender, sought by Korea’s National Police Agency for two years, was apprehended in Manila through collaborative efforts between Filipino and Korean law enforcement agencies.