A global police operation named “First Light” spanning 61 countries has delivered a financial blow to online scam networks by freezing 6,745 bank accounts, seizing assets totaling USD 257 million, and disrupting the transnational organized crime networks involved, INTERPOL announced.
The “First Light” operation targeted in particular investment fraud, fake shopping sites, phishing, identity theft and sentiment scams, the lyon-based internatiol criminal police organisation pointed out in a press release.
Police intercepted some USD 135 million in fiat currency and USD 2 million in cryptocurrency. Fiat currency, such as the US Dollar, Euro, or Yen, is official currency issued and regulated by governments. Other assets worth over USD 120 million were seized, including real estate, high-end vehicles, expensive jewellery, and many other high-value items and collections.
“The results of this global police operation are more than just numbers—they represent lives protected, crimes prevented, and a healthier global economy worldwide”, said Isaac kEHINDE Oginni, Director of INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC).
On behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security, Yong Wang, Head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Beijing announced : “No country is immune to this type of crime, and combating it requires very strong international cooperation.”
The police was able to intercept USD 331,000 in a business email compromise fraud involving a Spanish victim who transferred money to Hong Kong, China.
Likewise in another case, authorities in Australia successfully recovered AUD 5.5 million (USD 3.7 million) on behalf of an impersonation scam victim, after the funds were fraudulently transferred to bank accounts in Malaysia and Hong Kong, China.
Joint investigations between Brazilian and Portuguese authorities disrupted several scam networks operating globally, according to the statement.
First Light operations are funded by China’s Ministry of Public Security, which recently hosted the concluding meeting in Tianjin, bringing participating countries together under one roof to analyze results, share intelligence, and plan future operations. Operation First Light 2024 commenced in 2023 and culminated in its final tactical phase from March to May 2024. INTERPOL has been coordinating First Light operations since 2014 to bolster cooperation and intensify efforts by member countries in fighting social engineering and telecom fraud.
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