- Interpol’s Operation Synergia III dismantles global cybercrime networks
- 94 arrests, over 45,000 malicious servers and IP addresses removed
- The crackdown has spread to 72 countries, targeting scams ranging from phishing to loan fraud.
Nearly 100 people were arrested and thousands of servers were destroyed during a months-long international law enforcement operation, Interpol said.
In a press release shared late last week, international police said they coordinated Operation Synergia III, which began in mid-July last year and ended at the end of January this year. During this period, police forces from 72 countries raided key locations, seized electronic devices and arrested people.
A total of 94 people were arrested, with another 110 people “under investigation.” More than 45,000 malicious IP addresses and servers were removed and 212 electronic devices were seized.
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China, Bangladesh, Togo
“In 2026, cybercrime is more sophisticated and destructive than ever, but Operation Synergia III is a powerful testament to what global cooperation can achieve. INTERPOL remains at the forefront of this fight, uniting law enforcement and private sector experts to dismantle criminal networks, thwart emerging threats and protect victims around the world,” commented Neal Jetton, Director of the Cybercrime Directorate of INTERPOL.
The relay targeted different fraudulent operations at different locations. For example, law enforcement in China has identified more than 33,000 phishing and fake websites, linked to fake casinos and critical infrastructure (payment services, banks, government sites).
In Togo, police arrested 10 people for hacking social media accounts, social engineering schemes, romance scams and sextortion, and in Bangladesh, 40 people were arrested for loan scams, employment fraud, identity theft and credit card fraud.
Along with a long list of national police forces, Interpol also said a few private organizations also participated, including Group-IB, Trend Micro and S2W.
It’s been a tough few weeks for cybercriminals, as Tycoon 2FA, one of the world’s largest phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platforms, was also taken down after a globally coordinated police operation. This operation was led by Europol and included police forces from Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.
He successfully dismantled a phishing operation active since at least August 2023 and gave thousands of cybercriminals access to email and cloud service accounts.
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