Interpol led Red Card 2.0 nets 651 arrests in Africa, $4.3M

Operation Red Card 2.0 saw African law enforcement agencies, aided by Interpol and private cybersecurity companies, disrupt major cybercrime operations and arrest 651 suspects. In December and January, officers from 16 African countries collaborated with Interpol to target schemes including investment fraud rings in Nigeria and Kenya, a mobile loan-fraud operation in Côte d’Ivoire, and a cybercrime group that had accessed a major telecommunications provider’s internal operations.

Interpol stated that the operation recovered more than USD 4.3 million as part of the effort. The international coalition provided resources, actionable intelligence, and training to local forces, with partners such as Trend Micro contributing threat intelligence on loan app scams.

According to Interpol, the operation demonstrates increasing engagement from African member countries and a commitment to tackling cybercrime, while officials emphasise the importance of intelligence sharing between the private sector and law enforcement. The article, dated 25 February 2026, notes that private-sector collaboration and enhanced regional cooperation are key themes in sustaining these gains.