West Africa: Interpol arrests 300 people linked to organized crime

As part of a global operation targeting West African organised crime groups across five continents, police have arrested 300 people, seized $3 million and frozen 720 bank accounts, Interpol said on Tuesday.

Operation Jackal III , which ran from April 10 to July 3 in 21 countries, aimed to combat online financial fraud and the West African networks behind it, the organization said in a statement.

“The volume of financial fraud originating in West Africa is alarming and increasing ,” said Isaac Oginni, Director of Interpol’s Financial Crime and Corruption Centre. “The results of this operation underscore the absolute need for international collaboration between law enforcement agencies to combat these vast criminal networks.”

One of the groups targeted was Black Axe , one of the most prominent criminal networks in West Africa. Black Axe operates in the areas of cyber fraud , human trafficking and drug trafficking , and is responsible for violent crimes in Africa and around the world, the agency added.

Black Axe used money couriers to open bank accounts around the world and is currently under investigation in more than 40 countries for money laundering activities , the agency said. Suspects include citizens of Argentina, Colombia, Nigeria and Venezuela.

In Argentina, after a five-year investigation, police cracked down on Black Axe, seizing $1.2 million in high-quality counterfeit bills , arresting 72 suspects and freezing about 100 bank accounts.

Interpol , which has 196 member countries and celebrated its centenary last year, helps national police forces communicate with each other and track down suspects and criminals in areas such as counterterrorism , financial crime , child pornography , cybercrime and organized crime.

The world's largest, if not best-funded, police organization faces new challenges, including rising cybercrime and child sexual abuse cases, as well as growing divisions among its member countries.

Last year, Interpol had a total budget of around €176 million, compared with more than €200 million for the European Union's police agency, Europol, and some $11 billion for the FBI in the United States.