UAE-led global crackdown seizes $39 billion in fraud-linked assets, arrests 960

Operation Confrontation Ghost, spearheaded by the UAE Ministry of Interior, brought together law enforcement agencies from 30 countries, the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), and 13 private-sector partners specialising in technology, digital platforms and financial services.

Massive haul and arrests

The three-month campaign, running from 1 July to 30 September 2026, resulted in the identification of more than 3,500 suspects and 15,500 victims. Authorities exchanged over 9,000 pieces of intelligence, blocked 4,126 bank accounts, shut down more than 570 social-media accounts linked to fraud, and raided 29 fraud centres.

Participating countries, judicial bodies and private companies are now working to recover the identified assets, valued at over US$39 billion.

The operation also helped secure more than four billion financial transactions each month through tokenisation technology, strengthening user-data protection and reducing the risk of financial fraud.

Global cooperation against digital crime

Operation Confrontation Ghost targeted three major forms of digital crime: AI-enabled fraud, financial fraud through digital platforms, and online sextortion. It focused on strengthening international cooperation, intelligence sharing, tracking criminal activity, and accelerating responses to digital threats.

The 30 participating countries were the UAE, the Philippines, Canada, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, Ecuador, Romania, Kuwait, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Denmark, Myanmar, Brazil, Jordan, Italy, the Maldives, Singapore, Sweden, China, Senegal, France, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Slovakia, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.

Thirteen private-sector partners took part: Bayut, Crypto.com, dubizzle, Feedzai, Ghostly Solutions, Group-IB, Huawei, Mastercard, Miya Pico, Meta, Outseer, TikTok and Trend Micro. Their involvement reflected coordinated efforts across government, technology and financial sectors to detect fraud, disrupt criminal networks and prevent the misuse of digital platforms.

Officials highlight importance of unity

The results were announced during a UAE-organised side event at the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, held in Vienna, Austria, from 19 to 23 October 2026.

Colonel Dana Al Marzouqi, Director-General of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, said the operation demonstrated the importance of unified international efforts and integrated security and technological capabilities in combating digital fraud networks that exploit online platforms, financial services and emerging technologies to conduct cross-border criminal activities.

She said the Ministry of Interior continues to strengthen cooperation with countries, international organisations, and technology and financial services companies to combat transnational digital fraud, protect individuals and institutions, pursue those responsible and ensure accountability.

She added that real-time intelligence sharing and closer coordination among law enforcement agencies and relevant authorities help accelerate the detection of suspicious activities, trace illicit financial flows and translate shared intelligence and expertise into practical measures targeting criminal networks.

Dr. Monica Kathina Juma, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), described Operation Confrontation Ghost as a model of international cooperation in addressing emerging forms of crime. She said the operation brought together 30 countries, 13 private-sector partners and two international organisations to combat AI-enabled fraud, digital financial crime and technology-facilitated sexual extortion.

Dr. Juma praised the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his continued support for efforts to strengthen international cooperation. She commended the UAE’s role in uniting international efforts and coordinating partnerships to ensure the operation’s success, reflecting the UAE leadership’s commitment to collective international action and strengthening global security and stability.

She stressed that the growing use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in fraud, alongside the exploitation of digital platforms, bank accounts and cryptocurrencies to transfer funds and conceal their origins, requires continued improvements in countermeasures and stronger international coordination and cooperation.