Interpol has announced the arrest of 62 individuals during a coordinated border security operation spanning 12 West African countries. The initiative aimed to strengthen border controls, disrupt transnational criminal networks, and identify individuals connected to terrorism.
Using INTERPOL Mobile Devices and global databases, frontline officers at land, air, and sea borders carried out 1.7 million real-time checks between July and October 2025, surpassing the 1.3 million conducted in 2024.
The operation led to significant seizures, including 17 caches of ammunition and explosives, firearms, 731 kilograms of cannabis, counterfeit medicines, and 136 stolen vehicles. Authorities suspect that many of these assets may have been intended to fund organized crime or terrorist activities.
Among the highlights, officers in Burkina Faso apprehended two individuals wanted under Blue Notices by Côte d’Ivoire for their involvement in 2020 terrorist attacks by the Al-Qaeda affiliated group JNIM, which claimed the lives of more than ten security personnel. A third suspect with known terrorist links was also arrested in Burkina Faso, following a Blue Notice issued by Togo in 2024.
In Ghana, authorities rescued 21 victims of human trafficking who had been held in Nigeria and exploited in fraudulent schemes.
Interpol’s Executive Director of Police Services pro tempore, Cyril Gout, emphasized the importance of operational support and specialized tools in connecting the dots between suspects, identifying terrorist threats, and dismantling criminal networks, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to global security.