INTERPOL Operation First Light 2026 Results in 5,811 Arrests, $293 Million in Illicit Assets Intercepted

INTERPOL said its latest international operation, dubbed “Operation First Light 2026,” against financial and online crime resulted in 5,811 arrests and the disruption of $293 million in suspected illicit assets across 97 countries and territories.

The investigation highlighted the growing use of digital assets in criminal schemes. In Thailand, authorities uncovered a money-laundering network linked to romance scams that moved illegal proceeds across several cryptocurrencies and used cross-chain swaps to complicate efforts to track the funds.

During the probe, investigators identified a digital wallet controlled by a 20-year-old suspect that recorded more than $122.5 million in transactions over 10 months, underscoring the scale of the network’s cryptocurrency activity.

In a separate enforcement action, Palau deported 22 individuals accused of operating scam facilities involved in cryptocurrency-related offenses and illegal online gambling operations.

Source: INTERPOL