INTERPOL raids Black Axe network, arrests 58 in W’Africa

An extensive eight-month international operation coordinated by INTERPOL has successfully disrupted West African organized crime networks, leading to the arrest of 58 individuals and the identification of 263 others. Operation Jackal IV, which ran from November 2025 to June 2026, involved 22 countries across six continents.

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An eight-month operation targeting West African organised crime groups has led to 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects.

The operation's primary goals were to dismantle money laundering schemes, pinpoint high-value criminal targets, confiscate illicit assets, and facilitate the arrest and prosecution of suspects. INTERPOL stated the initiative was a direct response to the escalating global threat posed by West African criminal networks, including notorious groups like Black Axe.

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Operation Jackal IV (November 2025 – June 2026) aimed to disrupt money laundering, identify high-value targets, seize assets, and support arrests and prosecution.

These criminal organizations are significantly involved in cyber-enabled financial fraud worldwide. Their activities include romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment fraud, business email compromise schemes, and other serious and violent crimes. INTERPOL emphasized that these networks exploit financial systems across borders, making international cooperation crucial.

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The operation, which brought together 22 countries from six continents, is a response to the escalating global threat posed by West African criminal networks – such as the Black Axe and other similar groups.

Tomonobu Kaya, Director of INTERPOL's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, highlighted the operation's success in attacking the "lifeblood of organised crime" by following illicit financial flows. Despite the arrests, INTERPOL noted that investigations into several complex financial crime cases stemming from the operation are ongoing. In Argentina alone, 196 individuals were identified for their alleged involvement in a major crime.

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These groups are responsible for a significant share of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud, typically through romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment scams or business email compromise fraud, as well as other serious and violent crimes.