A major INTERPOL-coordinated security operation across West Africa has led to 62 arrests and the seizure of firearms, ammunition, explosives, drugs, counterfeit medicines, and 136 stolen vehicles, marking a significant blow to transnational crime in the region.
Operation Screen West Africa 2025, conducted between July and October, involved law enforcement agencies from 12 West African nations, including Ghana, aiming to strengthen border security, combat organised crime, and track terrorism-linked individuals.
During the operation, officers at land, air, and sea borders used INTERPOL Mobile Devices and global databases to perform 1.7 million real-time checks, up from 1.3 million in 2024.
Key Highlights:
Nine arrests of suspected terrorists and nearly 250 database “hits”, including Red and Blue Notices related to terrorism.
21 human trafficking victims rescued in Ghana after being held in Nigeria and exploited in fraudulent schemes.
Arrests of individuals in Burkina Faso wanted by Côte d’Ivoire for a 2020 Al-Qaeda-linked attack that killed over 10 security personnel.
Interceptions of “dark operations” vessels in maritime and harbour checks, targeting ships that switched off identification systems or changed flags to evade scrutiny.
Seized Items Include:
17 caches of weapons and ammunition
Explosives including dynamite and detonators
136 stolen vehicles
731 kg of cannabis
Counterfeit medicines, including fake opioid painkillers
Counterfeit currency and fraudulent documents
INTERPOL Executive Director Police Services pro tempore, Cyril Gout, stated: “These cases demonstrate how our operational support and specialist tools link suspected terrorists and disrupt criminal networks. We remain committed to strengthening security across West Africa.”
Participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The operation was funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the US Department of State’s INL under Projects I-CT Shield, WATA, and AGWE.
