Hundreds arrested in first large cybercrime operation in MENA region
201 individuals were arrested in Operation Ramz, the first-of-its-kind cybercrime operation in the MENA region, encompassing countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
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201 individuals were arrested in Operation Ramz, the first-of-its-kind cybercrime operation in the MENA region, encompassing countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Thirteen countries from the Middle East and North Africa took part in Operation Ramz, which aimed to investigate and disrupt malicious infrastructure, identify and arrest suspects, and prevent future losses, Interpol said.
“The operation focused on neutralizing phishing and malware threats, as well as tackling cyber scams that inflict severe cost to the region,” said the world's largest international police organization in a press release.
A further 382 suspects were identified, and in addition to the arrests made, 3,867 victims were registered, 53 servers were seized, and nearly 8,000 pieces of “crucial” data and intelligence were disseminated among participating countries.
In Qatar, for example, data obtained through the operation allowed investigators to identify compromised devices. Their owners hadn’t even realized that their gadgets were being used to spread malicious threats.
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In Jordan, police pinpointed the location of a computer used to run financial fraud scams. Victims were persuaded to invest through what appeared to be a legitimate trading platform, which shut down once funds had been deposited.
In Algeria, a website offering phishing as a service was identified and dismantled, and Moroccan authorities seized computers, smartphones, and external hard drives containing banking data and software used for phishing operations.
“In a world where cybercriminals exploit the digital landscape without borders, Operation Ramz demonstrates the effectiveness of global collaboration,” said Interpol’s director of Cybercrime, Neal Jetton.
“Interpol is dedicated to working with its member countries and private sector partners to take down malicious infrastructure, disrupt criminal groups, and bring perpetrators to justice.”
The operation involved authorities from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to global insurance brokerage and risk consultancy Gallagher, the UAE alone faces up to 800,000 cyberattacks daily. That’s a 3.5x surge since the outbreak of regional conflict.
Iran-linked groups are deploying AI tools, including large language models for reconnaissance, phishing, malware development, and deepfake-driven information warfare, said the consultancy.
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