G/AR: 8 Arrested, 120 Rescued As Ghana Busts Suspected Cybercrime Centres- CSA
Eight suspected cybercriminals have been arrested, while 120 others believed to have been trafficked and exploited for online fraud have been rescued in a major intelligence-led operation in the Greater Accra Region.
The operation, codenamed “Operation Blackout” and also referred to as “Operation Cyber Hunt,” was led and coordinated by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) with support from Ghanaian security agencies and international partners.
Giving details in a press release on October 8, 2026, the CSA said the swoop followed intelligence received on August 26, 2026, indicating that several apartments at Ubuntu Haven Estate in Kpone Katamanso, Franko Estate in Ga North, and other locations in Ga West were being used as bases for organised cybercrime, including romance scams.
According to the Authority, the operation uncovered suspected cybercrime centres in those areas, leading to the arrest of eight suspects.
The 120 rescued victims are largely identified as Nigerians, who authorities suspect were trafficked and held to carry out online fraud activities.
The CSA said efforts are underway to repatriate the rescued victims while investigations into the suspects and seized digital devices continue.
Items retrieved during the operation included 136 mobile phones, 130 laptops, internet connection devices, four motor vehicles, one of which was reported stolen from Canada, and other digital equipment.
The search team also recovered high-value items including jewellery and ten Nigerian passports.
The CSA reaffirmed that Ghana will not be a safe haven for cybercriminals, stressing its commitment to dismantling cybercriminal networks and protecting the public from online fraud and other cyber-enabled crimes.
It added that it will continue to strengthen intelligence-led investigations, inter-agency coordination, digital forensic capabilities and international cooperation, with emphasis on protection of victims, preservation of evidence, observance of due process and prosecution of offenders.
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