Cybercrime: Interpol dismantles 81 networks and arrests 260 suspects, Benin among the countries affected
A large operation coordinated by Interpol resulted in the arrest of 260 people involved in online scam and sextortion networks, affecting 14 African countries, including Benin.
SUMMARY
Named Contender 3.0, this operation led to the dismantling of 81 criminal networks specialized in digital fraud.
Victims trapped by sextortion and romance scams
According to Interpol, the suspects mainly targeted internet users through deceptive virtual relationships or by making threats related to intimate content.
These practices, known as romance scams and sextortion, aim to extort large sums of money from victims.
The total financial loss is estimated at US$2.8 million, with 1,463 victims recorded.
Decisive international cooperation
Operation Contender 3.0 illustrates the importance of cross-border police cooperation in the face of the rising threat of cybercrime.
The security services of the 14 countries involved worked together with Interpol to identify, track down and arrest the alleged perpetrators.
“Cybercrime knows no borders. Only close collaboration between states can effectively combat it,” stressed an Interpol official.
Benin in the crosshairs
Among the affected countries, Benin figures prominently. These arrests confirm the scale of the phenomenon in the sub-region, where many young people are sometimes lured by the quick earnings promised by criminal networks.
Beninese authorities, in coordination with Interpol, have announced they will strengthen their monitoring and enforcement measures against digital offences.
Interpol urges citizens to be cautious about suspicious online approaches, whether virtual romantic relationships or unusual financial solicitations. Internet users are also encouraged to report any case of online extortion to the competent authorities.
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