In an enforcement action against online scam syndicates, a global police operation known as Operation First Light 2024 has frozen 6,745 bank accounts, seized USD 257 million in assets, and disrupted transnational organized crime networks. This massive effort spanned 61 countries and targeted various forms of online fraud, including phishing, investment scams, fake online shopping sites, romance scams, and impersonation schemes.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 3,950 suspects and identified 14,643 additional potential suspects across all continents. Authorities intercepted approximately USD 135 million in fiat currency and USD 2 million in cryptocurrency. Furthermore, over USD 120 million worth of other assets, including real estate, luxury vehicles, and high-end jewelry, were confiscated.
Among the notable achievements of Operation First Light 2024 were several high-profile arrests and asset seizures:
- In Hong Kong, China, multiple suspects were apprehended as part of efforts to combat phishing and investment fraud.
- In Brazil, the Federal Police seized a wide range of assets from suspected scammers, including luxury products and expensive electronics.
- Authorities in Namibia dismantled a sophisticated international scam network, rescuing 88 youths forced into conducting scams and seizing 163 computers and 350 mobile phones.
INTERPOL’s Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism played a crucial role in tracing and intercepting illicit proceeds. For example, police recovered USD 331,000 in a business email compromise fraud involving a Spanish victim and successfully retrieved AUD 5.5 million (USD 3.7 million) for an impersonation scam victim in Australia.
Dr. Isaac Kehinde Oginni, Director of INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), highlighted the broader impact of the operation, stating, “The results of this global police operation are more than just numbers—they represent lives protected, crimes prevented, and a healthier global economy.”
Operation First Light 2024, coordinated by INTERPOL since 2014, received funding from China’s Ministry of Public Security. The operation’s concluding meeting was held in Tianjin, where participating countries analyzed results, shared intelligence, and planned future actions. The collaboration also included four regional policing bodies: AFRIPOL, ASEANAPOL, GCCPOL, and Europol.
