FREETOWN, 27th October 2026 – Sierra Leone’s security forces have smashed a suspected international cybercrime network operating in Freetown and Kenema, arresting 18 people and detaining approximately 400 others in coordinated intelligence-led raids.
The operations were carried out by the security sector working jointly with the National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA), according to a press release issued this evening by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
The raids uncovered what the government says is a sophisticated, organized and cross-border criminal enterprise.
Over 1,200 Phones, 301 Passports, 500 Computers Seized
Items seized during the operations include:
– 1,206 mobile phones
– Over 500 computers and monitors, along with laptops, nine CPUs and five servers
– 301 passports
– 339 SIM cards: 289 international SIM cards and 50 local SIM cards
– Other electronic equipment, including an iPad, translator glasses, a smartwatch, chargers and accessories
– 22 dry-cell batteries and one automatic voltage regulator
Those detained include both Sierra Leoneans and foreign nationals of African and Asian origin, the Ministry said.
The sheer scale of materials recovered – especially the large number of passports, international SIM cards and translator glasses – has raised serious concerns that the group may have been involved in romance scams, online fraud, identity theft and other forms of cybercrime targeting victims abroad from Sierra Leone.
Investigations to Uncover Financiers and Organizers
The Ministry says investigations will now establish the network’s specific activities, its international connections, how it was financed, and who organized or facilitated its operations in Sierra Leone.
“Sierra Leone will not be used as a base for cybercrime,” the press release stressed.
“The Government, through the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, NaTCA and the security services, remains vigilant against the exploitation of the country’s communications infrastructure for criminal purposes. Investigations will be thorough, and anyone found responsible will face prosecution in accordance with the law.”
Public Urged to Report
The Government has encouraged members of the public to report suspected cybercrime and suspicious operations to the appropriate authorities – the Sierra Leone Police, NaTCA or the Office of National Security (ONS).
It added that further verified information will be released as investigations progress.
This is the biggest cybercrime-related bust in Sierra Leone in recent years and comes months after similar crackdowns on cybercrime compounds in neighbouring Liberia and Ghana.
