A large-scale INTERPOL operation across West Africa has led to 62 arrests and the confiscation of weapons, explosives, drugs, counterfeit medicines, and stolen vehicles.
Operation Screen West Africa 2025, conducted from July to October, involved law enforcement agencies from 12 countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire. Using INTERPOL’s global databases, officers carried out 1.7 million real-time checks at land, air, and sea borders.
Nine arrests were linked to terrorism, including three in Burkina Faso connected to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM group, responsible for a 2020 attack in Côte d’Ivoire that killed over ten security personnel. Six others were detained in Mauritania on suspicion of terrorist activities.
The operation also led to the rescue of 21 human trafficking victims in Ghana, who had been held in Nigeria and exploited in fraudulent schemes. Authorities seized explosives, dynamite, 136 stolen vehicles, 731 kg of cannabis, counterfeit medicines, fake currency, and fraudulent documents some of which could have been used to finance terrorism or organized crime.
Maritime inspections revealed vessels employing deceptive tactics, including switching off identification systems and frequent “flag hopping.”
Cyril Gout, INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services pro tempore, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and specialized tools in identifying suspects and disrupting criminal networks.
The 12 participating countries were Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Funding for the operation came from Germany, Denmark, and the United States.
