Morocco took part in the international police operation “Confrontation Ghost,” which led to over 960 arrests across 30 countries and identified 15,500 victims of scams, according to the Emirati Ministry of Interior.
Conducted between July and September 2026 under the coordination of the United Arab Emirates, this international operation mobilised various police services to combat digital financial crime.
Announced on October 22 by the Emirati Ministry of Interior, the results include the identification of 3,500 suspects and the arrest of more than 960 individuals in participating countries, including Morocco.
The investigations also uncovered 29 fraud centres and identified over 4,126 suspicious bank accounts. In parallel, more than 570 social media accounts were shut down as part of measures taken against networks involved in these scams.
The operations specifically aimed to dismantle the infrastructure used to target victims and facilitate the transfer of illicit funds.
Financial stakes were a central focus of the operation. Investigators identified more than $39 billion in funds and cryptocurrencies linked to fraudulent activities.
The relevant authorities are now working to locate and recover these assets, as part of ongoing cooperation between investigative agencies and international partners.
According to the Emirati news agency WAM, the operation also succeeded in thwarting 123.71 million attempts at online fraud.
The investigations specifically targeted internet-based financial scams, fraud involving the use of artificial intelligence, and instances of sextortion.
INTERPOL, along with thirteen private companies – including Meta, TikTok, and Mastercard – contributed to this collaborative effort.
More than 9,000 pieces of intelligence were exchanged among the participating agencies, facilitating the correlation of information and the identification of criminal networks operating across national borders.
The results of “Operation Confrontation Ghost” were presented in Vienna on the sidelines of a United Nations conference on organised crime.
Morocco’s participation in this operation underscores its commitment to international police cooperation mechanisms, specifically in addressing networks whose activities rely on the cross-border movement of data and capital.
However, the actual recovery of the identified funds remains a separate challenge from their detection, requiring further financial investigations and judicial coordination among the countries involved.
MK/AK/Sf/fss/as/APA