Madagascar dismantles 13 Chinese-run fraud compounds and extradites 148 nationals
Madagascar's justice ministry has shut down 13 Chinese-operated scam centres since August as part of operations connected to a criminal network previously active in Cambodia. The government extradited 148 Chinese nationals to China following the raids, which also uncovered evidence of human trafficking involving African victims. Police seized approximately $52 million in cryptocurrency and over 3,200 electronic devices during the operations.
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Madagascar's justice ministry announced the closure of 13 Chinese-run scam compounds since August, according to AFP. The centres were connected to a criminal network that had previously operated similar fraud operations in Cambodia. Following the raids, 148 Chinese nationals involved in these centres were extradited to China.
The operations were conducted in cooperation with the US Department of Justice and resulted in the seizure of approximately $52 million in cryptocurrency within a single day, as well as the processing of more than 3,200 electronic devices. Police identified multiple types of criminal activity at these compounds, including romance fraud, cryptocurrency fraud and investment fraud schemes.
Investigators also discovered that the centres had trafficked African nationals by recruiting them through social media with false job offers. Once recruited, these individuals had their passports confiscated and were coerced into participating in fraudulent activities. Around 20 nationals from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe remained in custody, though officials indicated they may have been victims of trafficking rather than perpetrators of the crimes. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has previously warned about the expansion of such scam networks into Southern Africa.
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