A joint Interpol and Afripol operation has led to 83 arrests across six African countries and exposed hundreds of people suspected of financing or supporting terrorism.
The three-month operation, named Operation Catalyst, was conducted between July and September 2025. It’s the first coordinated effort on the continent aimed at disrupting the money networks that fund terrorist activities. Authorities from Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan participated.
A sum of about 260 million US dollars in cash and cryptocurrency, believed to be linked to terrorism-related crime, was uncovered.
Money Trails Tied to Cybercrime and Fraud
Interpol said Operation Catalyst revealed how terrorism financing is increasingly linked to other crimes such as online scams, Ponzi schemes and money laundering.
Of those arrested, 21 were detained for terrorism-related offences, 28 for fraud and money laundering, 16 for cyber-enabled scams and 18 for the illegal use of virtual currencies.
More than 15,000 people and entities were screened during the operation, leading to the identification of 160 new persons of interest.
Major Arrests in Angola, Kenya and Nigeria
In Angola, police detained 25 suspects from several countries in a crackdown on illegal money transfer systems tied to terrorism and money laundering. Authorities seized approximately $ 588,000, 100 phones, and 40 computers, and froze 60 bank accounts.
In Kenya, investigators uncovered a suspected money-laundering ring worth around 430,000 dollars, run through a virtual asset service provider. Two suspects have been arrested so far. In another case, two people were arrested for recruiting young people from East and North Africa into terrorist groups using funds traced through a cryptocurrency platform in Tanzania.
In Nigeria, 11 suspected terrorists, including senior members of several groups, were arrested.
Global Crypto Scam Uncovered
The operation also exposed a massive cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme posing as an online trading platform. The scam stretched across 17 countries, including Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria, defrauding more than 100,000 people worldwide. Losses are estimated at 562 million dollars, with some funds believed to have financed terrorist activities.
Interpol also issued a Red Notice for a suspect accused of running a crypto scam worth 5 million dollars. Investigators say the suspect moved funds through multiple digital wallets and exchange platforms to hide the trail before converting the money into cash.
‘A United Front Against Terrorism’
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza called the operation a milestone in Africa’s fight against terrorism financing.
“This is the first time financial crime, cybercrime and counter-terrorism units from several African countries have joined forces with Interpol and Afripol,” he said. “By sharing intelligence, we can disrupt the financial flows that keep terrorist networks alive.”
Afripol’s Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, said the success of Operation Catalyst shows what can be achieved through joint action.
“When African law enforcement works together, we can offer a strong and coordinated response to complex and evolving security threats,” he said.
International Cooperation
The operation was carried out under the ISPA programme, funded by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, which supports Afripol’s work in tackling organised crime, terrorism and financial offences.
Private-sector partners Binance, Moody’s and Uppsala Security provided cyber intelligence and data to assist the operation.
