ARGENTINA ARRESTS NIGERIAN ROMANCE SCAM SUSPECT IN INTERPOL-LED OPERATION

October 8, 2025
By Tobi Akinnubi

Argentine authorities have arrested a Nigerian national, identified as Ikechukwu N., marking the country’s first apprehension of a fugitive listed on both an INTERPOL Red Notice and the newly launched Silver Notice system.

The suspect is accused of masterminding multiple romance scams targeting thousands of women across several countries and leading an international cybercrime syndicate.

The arrest was made under Operation Jackal, an ongoing INTERPOL-coordinated initiative aimed at dismantling West African–based organized criminal networks involved in online fraud, money laundering, and human trafficking.

According to INTERPOL, the operation was executed jointly by Argentina’s Federal Police (PFA) and the Airport Security Police (PSA), with support from the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), the Financial Intelligence System (FIS), and INTERPOL Brazil.

The Silver Notice, introduced in January 2025, is part of INTERPOL’s global effort to trace and recover assets linked to transnational crime. Ikechukwu’s arrest represents the first successful use of the dual Red and Silver Notice framework in South America.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and further arrests linked to the network may follow in other jurisdictions.