By Saidu Jalloh. D.S
FREETOWN — Security forces have smashed a suspected international cybercrime network operating in Freetown and Kenema, arresting 18 people and detaining about 400 others in coordinated raids.
The operation, carried out in collaboration with the National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA), uncovered a massive cache of electronic devices, telecommunications equipment and travel documents believed to be linked to the syndicate.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Tuesday, 27th October 2026, security operatives seized 1,206 mobile phones, over 500 computers and monitors, 301 passports and 339 SIM cards — including 289 international SIM cards and 50 local ones.
Other items recovered include laptops, nine Central Processing Units (CPUs), five servers, an iPad, translator glasses, a smartwatch, chargers and accessories, 22 dry-cell batteries and an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR).
The Ministry said those detained include both Sierra Leoneans and foreign nationals of African and Asian origin.
Authorities are yet to establish the full scale of the network’s operations, its international links and how its activities were financed and facilitated, but the magnitude of the seizures has raised serious concerns about a well-organized, cross-border criminal enterprise operating within the country.
Investigations are underway to identify the individuals and organisations behind the syndicate and determine the extent of its activities in Sierra Leone.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to preventing the country’s communications infrastructure from being exploited for criminal purposes, stating that the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, NaTCA and the security services will continue to monitor and clamp down on cybercrime.
The public has been urged to report suspected cybercrime and suspicious operations to the appropriate agencies, with assurance that further verified information will be released as investigations progress.
The Government maintained that anyone found culpable will face prosecution in accordance with the law.
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