Interpol Recovers $97M in Cryptocurrency in Global Cybercrime Crackdown

Interpol's Operation HAECHI VI has reclaimed $97 million in cryptocurrency as part of a sweeping multinational effort against cyber financial crimes. The five-month operation spanned 40 countries, targeting seven major crime categories including investment fraud, romance scams, and money laundering through online gambling.

Law enforcement agencies froze nearly 400 cryptocurrency wallets and blocked over 68,000 bank accounts, recovering $16 million in digital assets from wallets alone. The total seized assets across all forms amounted to $439 million, marking one of the largest coordinated actions against financial cybercrime to date.

In Portugal, authorities dismantled a syndicate stealing from social security accounts meant for vulnerable families, arresting 45 suspects. Thailand saw $6.6 million recovered from a business email compromise scheme that defrauded a Japanese corporation. These cases highlight the increasingly transnational nature of cryptocurrency-enabled financial crimes.