10/27/2026
Security Forces Bust Suspected International Cybercrime Network; 18 Arrested, 400 Detained in Freetown and Kenema
Freetown, 27th October 2026- Sierra Leone's security forces have arrested 18 people and detained approximately 400 others in a major crackdown on a suspected international cybercrime network operating in Freetown and Kenema in the early hours Tuesday, 27th October 2026.
According to the Press Release from the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the coordinated, intelligence-led operations were carried out in collaboration with the National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA). The raids uncovered a massive cache of electronic equipment, including 1,206 mobile phones, over 500 computers and monitors, laptops, nine CPUs, five servers, 301 passports, and 339 SIM cards; 289 of which were international SIM cards and 50 local SIM cards. Other items seized include an iPad, translator glasses, a smartwatch, chargers, accessories, 22 dry-cell batteries and one automatic voltage regulator.
The Ministry disclosed that those detained include both Sierra Leoneans and foreign nationals of African and Asian origin, raising serious concerns about an organized, cross-border criminal enterprise.
The Government says investigations are underway to establish the network's specific activities, its international connections, sources of financing, and those who organized or facilitated its operations in Sierra Leone.
"The Government will not allow Sierra Leone to be used as a base for cybercrime," the release stated, adding that the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, NaTCA and the security services remain vigilant against the exploitation of the country's communications infrastructure for criminal purposes.
The Ministry assured the public that investigations will be thorough and anyone found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law, while encouraging citizens to report suspected cybercrime and suspicious operations to the appropriate authorities.
©Ministry of Information and Civic Education
