INTERPOL seizes $293 million, arrests 5,811 in global scam crackdown
The post INTERPOL seizes $293 million, arrests 5,811 in global scam crackdown appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. INTERPOL revealed in a statement that was shared on Thursday, July 9, that a four-month operation spanning 97 countries and territories arrested 5,811 people and froze $293 million in illicit money. This sweep also reached some crypto holders as the investigators traced romance-scam profits laundered through cross-chain token swaps. The operation, called First Light 2026, ran from January 15 to April 30, according to INTERPOL’s statement. Its focus was social engineering, the practice of exploiting a person’s trust to extract money or account details. That category covers business email compromise, sextortion, romance, impersonation, and investment scams, along with the laundering networks that move the proceeds. INTERPOL counted more than 142,000 victims over the four months. Alongside the arrests, police blocked 31,014 bank accounts, solved 23,715 cases, identified ano