Operation Screen West Africa 2025, a major cross-border security sweep coordinated by INTERPOL, has led to the arrest of terror suspects, the rescue of trafficking victims, and the seizure of weapons, drugs and stolen assets across 12 West African countries.
The four-month operation, which ran from July to October, brought together law enforcement agencies from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Using INTERPOL’s global criminal databases, officers conducted 1.7 million real-time checks at land borders, airports and seaports targeting terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling and other transnational crimes.
Terror Suspects Arrested
Nine people were arrested over suspected links to terrorism.
- In Burkina Faso, three suspects believed to be connected to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) — an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group — were detained. JNIM was behind a 2020 attack in Côte d’Ivoire that killed more than ten security personnel.
- In Mauritania, six others were arrested for alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
INTERPOL says the arrests highlight how border checks can expose suspects attempting to move quietly across the region.
Trafficking Victims Rescued
The operation also uncovered a human trafficking network spanning Ghana and Nigeria.
Authorities in Ghana rescued 21 victims of human trafficking who had been held in Nigeria and forced to work in online and financial fraud schemes. The victims are now receiving support and protection.
Weapons, Drugs and Stolen Assets Seized
Security agencies seized a wide range of illicit items believed to be linked to organised crime and potential terror financing, including:
- Explosives and dynamite
- 136 stolen vehicles
- 731 kg of cannabis
- Counterfeit medicines
- Fake currency and fraudulent identity documents
On the maritime front, officers detected suspicious vessels using deceptive tactics such as switching off identification systems and frequent “flag hopping” to obscure their activities.
“Cooperation Works”
Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services pro tempore, said the results underscored the power of shared tools and joint operations.
He noted that coordinated checks, backed by instant access to INTERPOL databases, allowed frontline officers to identify high-risk individuals and disrupt criminal networks in real time.
Operation Screen West Africa 2025 was funded by Germany, Denmark and the United States, reflecting growing international concern over how terrorism, trafficking and organised crime intersect along key West African routes.
Authorities say follow-up investigations are ongoing, with intelligence gathered during the operation expected to trigger further arrests and dismantling of criminal networks in the months ahead.
