In a significant operation led by Interpol, the police in Eswatini have arrested 82 individuals and dismantled a network that combined illegal iGaming activities with money laundering.
The members of this network posed as federal police officers from Brazil, convincing victims to transfer money for 'safe keeping' through video calls while dressed in fake police uniforms against a realistic backdrop of a Brazilian police station, complete with signs and props.
During the raids, authorities seized decorations along with 240 electronic devices. In a related operation, authorities in Palau deported 22 individuals who were working in two fraudulent centers located in hotels, deceiving victims abroad using illegal gambling websites and cryptocurrency.
According to Interpol, law enforcement agencies from 97 countries arrested a total of 5,811 suspects involved in social engineering fraud from January 15 to April 30, seizing assets worth $293 million.