UAE-led Operation Confrontation Ghost leads to over 960 arrests in 30 countries
A UAE-led operation involving law enforcement from 30 countries, INTERPOL and 13 private-sector partners led to more than 960 arrests and identified over $39 billion in funds and cryptocurrency linked to fraud, according to the UAE Ministry of Interior. The operation, called Confrontation Ghost, ran from 1 July to 30 September 2026.
- UAE Ministry of Interior led Operation Confrontation Ghost with 30 countries, INTERPOL, GASA and 13 private partners.
- The operation ran from 1 July to 30 September 2026 and targeted AI-facilitated fraud, digital financial fraud and sexual extortion.
- More than 960 arrests, 15,500 victims and 3,500 suspects identified, and 29 fraud centres searched.
- More than $39 billion in fraud-linked funds and cryptocurrency identified, with recovery work under way.
- Results were presented at UNTOC COP13 in Vienna and welcomed by UNODC.
What the operation targeted and who took part
Operation Confrontation Ghost was led by the UAE Ministry of Interior. Authorities from 30 countries across five continents joined INTERPOL, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and 13 private-sector partners from the technology and finance sectors.
According to the announcement, the operation focused on three of the fastest-growing threats in the digital space: AI-facilitated fraud, digital financial fraud and technology-facilitated sexual extortion. The release notes that the last of these often targets children and teenagers.
The 13 private-sector partners are Bayut, Crypto.com, Dubizzle, Feedzai, Ghostly Solutions, Group-IB, Huawei, Mastercard, Meiya Pico, Meta, Outseer, TikTok and Trend Micro. The participating countries include the UAE, the Philippines, Canada, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Singapore, China, Kenya and the Republic of Korea, among others.
Results reported over three months
The Ministry of Interior reports that the operation identified more than 15,500 victims and more than 3,500 suspects across several countries. This led to more than 960 arrests and searches of 29 fraud centres.
- More than 570 social media accounts used to move money and manipulate victims were shut down.
- More than 4,126 bank accounts linked to fraud were identified.
- Participants exchanged more than 9,000 pieces of intelligence and information between law enforcement agencies.
- More than $39 billion in funds and cryptocurrency linked to fraudulent activity was identified.
The participating countries, jurisdictions and private-sector partners are now working together to recover those assets, according to the release. The participants also mapped different criminal methods, building a shared picture of how modern scam networks recruit and deceive victims and launder money across borders.
Presented at the UN crime convention in Vienna
The results were unveiled at the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC COP13) in Vienna. The UAE hosted a side event titled "From Cooperation to Action: How Law Enforcement, International Organizations and the Private Sector Can Jointly Counter Organized Fraud".
Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Bureau at the UAE Ministry of Interior, said the operation "a transformé le partage de renseignements internationaux en un impact opérationnel coordonné", which in English means it turned international intelligence sharing into coordinated operational impact.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) welcomed the operation. Its executive director, Monica Juma, congratulated the UAE for using its convening power to make the operation possible, according to the release.
What it means
The announcement presents the operation as an example of law enforcement, international organisations and private companies working together against fraud that crosses borders, including fraud driven by artificial intelligence. The side event in Vienna aimed to turn the operational experience into lasting international cooperation, stronger public-private partnerships and better preparedness for evolving fraud methods.
The Ministry of Interior thanked all participating countries, companies and organisations and said it remains committed to practical and inclusive cooperation against transnational digital fraud. All figures come from the UAE announcement, and the release does not provide details on how much of the identified $39 billion has been recovered so far.
