Chinese-Funded Interpol Operation Nets 5,800 Arrests and $293M Intercepted

Global cybercrime bust nets 5,811 arrests, disrupts social engineering scams, and intercepts $293M in illicit assets across 97 countries.

By Content Team

Jul 9, 2026

ON THIS PAGE

A massive global cybercrime sweep has wrapped up with 5,811 arrests and $293 million in intercepted illicit assets. Operation First Light 2026 ran from January 15 to April 30, 2026, pulling in law enforcement from 97 countries under Interpol's coordination — with funding from China's Ministry of Public Security.

The operation targeted social engineering scams like romance fraud and business email compromise schemes. Authorities blocked or froze 31,014 bank accounts, seized cryptocurrency wallets, identified 15,606 suspects, and uncovered more than 142,000 victims worldwide.

One standout bust in Eswatini took down a network posing as Brazilian Federal Police over video calls, talking victims into transferring money for "safekeeping." Officers seized 240 electronic devices and a full replica Brazilian police station — fake uniforms, signage and all.

Source: Infosecurity Magazine

Have questions about protecting your software?

Our escrow experts are standing by to help.

Book a free demo

Want more insights like this?