In a sweeping crackdown that underscores the growing nexus between digital finance and transnational crime, Interpol and Afripol have jointly executed Operation Catalyst, a continent-wide effort aimed at dismantling networks involved in terrorist financing, cybercrime, and large-scale fraud. Conducted between July and September this year, the operation resulted in 83 arrests across multiple African nations, the identification of $260 million in illicit crypto and fiat transactions, and the seizure of $600,000 so far.

The scale and sophistication of the operation mark it as one of the most significant global law enforcement initiatives targeting crypto-enabled criminal activity in Africa. Authorities say it not only disrupted key networks but also revealed how cryptocurrencies are increasingly being used to fund terrorism and launder illicit profits on the continent.

Operation Catalyst’s results highlight a growing challenge for global and regional law enforcement: the rapid digitalization of financial systems and the ease with which criminals can exploit them. Of the 83 individuals arrested, 21 were linked to terrorism, 28 to fraud and money laundering, 16 to online scams, and 19 to the illicit use of virtual assets.

The operation was part of an ongoing strategy to identify and disrupt financial flows related to terrorism, organized crime, and cyber fraud. Interpol’s data shows that the proliferation of mobile money systems, peer-to-peer crypto platforms, and virtual asset exchanges across Africa has made the region both a hub for innovation and a hotspot for cyber-financial exploitation.

As Interpol noted, “the rise in crypto adoption in Africa has coincided with a rise in crypto-fueled financial crimes.” The organization’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report........

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