One of the largest international cybercrime operations has recently concluded, as law enforcement agencies from dozens of countries worked together to dismantle extensive digital criminal networks. The operation, codenamed “Operation Synergia III”, was coordinated by INTERPOL and led to the seizure of tens of thousands of suspicious IP addresses as well as critical infrastructure used in illegal online activities.
This action is part of a broader international strategy to address the ever-increasing threats in cyberspace, which affect both individuals, businesses and government organizations globally.
Operation Synergia III: International cooperation on an unprecedented scale
The operation took place between July 2025 and January 2026 and involved authorities from 72 different countries. During the coordinated investigations, police authorities seized 212 electronic devices and servers, while making 94 arrests of individuals allegedly linked to organized digital fraud networks.
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At the same time, approximately 110 additional suspects remain under investigation, which indicates that the investigations are still ongoing and there may be new revelations in the near future.
Authorities estimate that the seized infrastructure was used for various forms of cybercrime, such as phishing attacks, ransomware operations, online fraud and personal data theft.
Criminal networks in many countries
The operation saw significant successes in several countries. In Togo, police arrested ten suspects involved in an organized online fraud ring.
According to authorities, some members of the group specialized in technical attacks, such as hacking into social media accounts, while others engaged in social engineering attacks, including romance scams and online sexual blackmail.
In Bangladesh, authorities have arrested 40 people and seized 134 electronic devices linked to extensive cybercrime networks. The suspects are alleged to be involved in various scams, including fake job advertisements, loan scams, identity theft and credit card fraud.
Thousands of phishing websites detected in Macau
Another important finding of the company came from a survey conducted by cybersecurity experts in Macau, where more than 33,000 malicious phishing websites, which were used to deceive users.
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These websites were designed to mimic legitimate platforms, such as casinos, banking institutions, government services, and online payment systems. In this way, attackers were able to extract credit card details, personal data, and user login information.
This tactic is one of the most widespread forms of digital fraud, as it exploits users' trust in well-known services.
Continuation of a wider international campaign
Operation Synergia III is the continuation of previous international actions against cybercrime. The previous operation Synergia II, which took place between April and August 2024, had led to the arrest of 41 suspects and the seizure of 1,037 servers used for malicious activities.
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Additionally, during the first phase of the Synergia initiative, authorities identified approximately 70 additional suspects and destroyed more than 1,300 command-and-control serversused attacks ransomware, phishing, and malware.
These figures show the size of the infrastructure used by organized cybercrime networks to launch attacks on a global scale.
New operations against cybercrime in Africa
In parallel with Synergia III, international authorities also carried out other operations. Between December 8 and January 30, police forces from 16 African countries participated in Operation Red Card 2.0, which was also coordinated by INTERPOL.
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During this action, 651 suspects and more than $4.3 million, which was linked to illegal digital activities.
In addition, other operations such as Operation Serengeti and Africa Cyber Surge have led in recent years to thousands of arrests and the dismantling of numerous criminal networks operating on the African continent.
The fight against cybercrime in 2026
According to Neal Jetton, head of INTERPOL's Cybercrime Directorate, cybercrime has evolved significantly in recent years and is now one of the greatest challenges for international security authorities.
As he noted, Operation Synergia III proves that international cooperation between government agencies, cybersecurity experts and private organizations can lead to significant results.
As criminal organizations increasingly use advanced technologies to hide their online footprints, the need for global coordination and information sharing is more critical than ever. Experts predict that similar operations will continue in the coming years, aiming to limit digital threats and protect millions of users around the world.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
