International operation leads to the arrest of over 5,000 individuals and the seizure of 400 million dollars by Interpol.
Operation HAECHI V has resulted in the dissolution of various fraudulent organizations.
Over the past five months, Interpol, in collaboration with national authorities, has carried out Operation HAECHI V, which culminated in the capture of more than 5,500 individuals and the confiscation of over $400 million obtained through various cybercrime and fraud campaigns. This operation began in July 2023 and focused on seven main types of cyber fraud: voice phishing, romance scams, online sextortion, investment fraud, illegal online gambling, business email compromise, and e-commerce fraud.
Although Interpol did not disclose specific names, it was mentioned that it collaborated with authorities from South Korea and China to dismantle a voice phishing organization responsible for losses exceeding $1.1 billion for over 1,900 victims. As a result, at least 27 members of the group were arrested, and charges were brought against 19 of them.
The operation also succeeded in dismantling a fraud scheme related to cryptocurrencies. In this case, victims were persuaded to purchase a stablecoin called Tether (USDT) from a legitimate provider. Subsequently, the victims were induced to "invest" in this stablecoin, allowing the scammers to steal the funds.
Additionally, Interpol utilized its rapid payment intervention mechanism, known as I-GRIP, to prevent a company from transferring $42.3 million to the scammers. Although the victim had already made the transfer, Interpol managed to intercept most of the funds, recovering the rest during the investigation.
Interpol's Secretary General, Valdecy Urquiza, highlighted the devastating consequences of cybercrime, stating that it can lead to the loss of people's life savings, affect businesses, and undermine trust in digital and financial systems. He emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime and how joint efforts can yield significant results.
Approximately 40 countries and regions collaborated in Operation HAECHI V, demonstrating the need for mechanisms of international cooperation to make both physical and digital realities safer.
