Interpol has carried out a large international operation that recovered $439 million linked to criminal activity.
Of that amount, $97 million came from cryptocurrencies and physical goods.
The campaign, called Operation HAECHI VI, took place between April and August. It focused on seven main types of online crime, including money laundering, investment scams, romance fraud, phishing, and e-commerce schemes.
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As part of the work, authorities blocked more than 68,000 bank accounts and shut down nearly 400 crypto wallets. From those wallets, officers recovered about $16 million, which shows that it is possible to trace and recover stolen digital funds.
One case happened in Portugal, where investigators uncovered a scheme that diverted social welfare payments from vulnerable families. Police arrested 45 people in connection with the crime. The group is suspected of stealing $270,000 from 531 victims.
The operation was supported by South Korea and included agencies from 40 regions worldwide. Countries that took part included Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Interpol official Theos Badege stated that the results show that stolen assets can be recovered when nations cooperate. He explained that HAECHI has become one of Interpol’s key efforts against financial crime.
Recently, federal officials in Massachusetts started a legal process to seize roughly $584,741 in Tether from an Iranian citizen. What did the filing state? Read the full story.
