HIBAPRESS announced that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has announced the success of a large-scale security operation to combat cybercrime in the Middle East and North Africa, resulting in the identification of thousands of victims and hundreds of suspects in online fraud cases.
The operation, codenamed "Ramez," was carried out between October 2025 and February 2026, covered 13 countries, and focused on dismantling digital fraud networks and tracking those involved in activities that caused significant financial losses to users. According to the Interpol statement, security agencies were able to identify approximately 3,867 victims, as well as arrest 201 people and identify 382 suspects, in addition to seizing approximately 50 electronic servers that were used to carry out the attacks. In Jordan, investigations resulted in the arrest of about 15 people suspected of luring victims to invest in illegal trading platforms, where victims lost access to their funds immediately upon deposit. In Qatar, investigators detected hacked computers that were used without the owners' knowledge to carry out cyberattacks and spread digital threats. In Morocco, the authorities seized various electronic devices, including computers, phones, and storage disks, which contained bank data and programs used in phishing and fraud operations. Interpol confirmed that several Arab countries participated in this operation, with approximately 8,000 pieces of intelligence information exchanged that supported investigations and contributed to the exposure of criminal networks. In a related context, a report issued by the World Economic Forum in April 2025 indicated that cybercrimes cost the global economy losses estimated at about $18 million every minute, which is equivalent to approximately $9.5 trillion annually.
