A UAE-led international operation has resulted in more than 960 arrests, the identification of 3,500 suspects and the uncovering of more than $39 billion in illicit funds and assets, the Ministry of Interior announced.
Operation Confrontation Ghost ran from July 1 to September 30 and targeted three categories of digital crime: AI-enabled fraud, digital financial fraud and online sextortion.
Over the course of the three months, it thwarted more than 123.7 million online fraud attempts worldwide, blocked 4,126 bank accounts, shut down 570 social media accounts and involved 29 raids on locations linked to fraudulent activity.
The operation brought together law enforcement agencies from 30 countries alongside Interpol, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and 13 private-sector partners spanning technology, digital platforms and financial services.
Partner countries included the UK, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Ecuador, Jordan and Bahrain. Among private-sector contributors were UAE property platforms Bayut and Dubizzle, as well as Meta and TikTok.
Investigators identified 15,500 victims and exchanged more than 9,000 pieces of intelligence across borders. The operation also helped secure more than four billion financial transactions a month through tokenisation technology, the Ministry said.
Col Dana Al Marzouqi, director-general of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, said the operation showed why cross-border partnerships are essential when fraud networks deliberately exploit online platforms and financial infrastructure across jurisdictions.
She said the Ministry would continue deepening cooperation with countries, international organisations, and technology and financial services companies to combat transnational digital fraud.
Dr Monica Juma, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, called the operation a model of international cooperation in tackling emerging forms of crime.
She pointed to the growing use of AI in fraud schemes and the exploitation of cryptocurrencies to move and conceal funds as reasons to keep strengthening global counter-measures.
