Police Recover Over $75,000 from Global Fraud Networks in Operation Frontier+

The Maldives Police Service has recovered more than USD 75,000 lost to fraudulent schemes as part of 'Operation Frontier+', a large-scale international initiative designed to dismantle sophisticated criminal syndicates. Running from March 10 to May 7, the operation marked the third global campaign of its kind targeting cross-border financial crimes. The initiative unified national anti-scam centers worldwide to track and freeze assets stolen through deceptive digital practices. Domestically, the Maldives deployed over 40 officers from the Anti-Scam Centre to lead the effort. Adam Naveed, head of the Anti-Scam Centre, reported that investigators scrutinized 349 cases during the operation, with 186 identified specifically as e-commerce scams. Police revealed that the total financial damage from these cases initially exceeded USD 259,480. Law enforcement agencies managed to freeze 664 bank accounts, a move that directly enabled the recovery of USD 75,251.62 for victims. Throughout the investigation, authorities questioned 574 suspects, including 490 men and 84 women. Operation Frontier+ was a collaborative effort involving a coalition of international partners from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Dubai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, and Thailand. The joint task force targeted a wide spectrum of fraud, including phishing, romance scams, investment fraud, and job-related deception. Following the conclusion of the operation, the Maldives Police Service reiterated its commitment to public safety. Authorities are urging citizens to remain vigilant by avoiding suspicious digital links and refusing to share security verification codes with third parties to prevent future financial losses.