NatCA Supports Major Cybercrime Crackdown, 18 Arrested

The National Telecommunications Authority (NaTCA) has collaborated with Sierra Leone’s security forces in a major intelligence-led operation targeting a suspected international cybercrime network operating in Freetown and Kenema, resulting in 18 arrests and the detention of approximately 400 people.
The coordinated operations, conducted in the early hours of Tuesday, October 27, led to the seizure of a large quantity of electronic equipment, telecommunications devices, SIM cards and passports, as authorities intensify efforts to prevent the country’s communications infrastructure from being exploited for criminal activities.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the operation was conducted through collaboration between the security forces and NaTCA, with the aim of addressing suspected cybercrime activities and protecting Sierra Leone’s telecommunications environment.
The raids resulted in the recovery of 1,206 mobile phones, more than 500 computers and monitors, laptops, nine central processing units (CPUs) and five servers.
Security personnel also seized 339 SIM cards, comprising 289 international SIM cards and 50 local SIM cards, alongside 301 passports.

Other items recovered included an iPad, translator glasses, a smartwatch, chargers and accessories, 22 dry-cell batteries and an automatic voltage regulator.
The scale of the equipment recovered has raised concerns about the possible extent of the suspected network’s operations and whether its activities were connected to criminal networks beyond Sierra Leone’s borders.

The Ministry disclosed that those arrested and detained include Sierra Leoneans and foreign nationals of African and Asian origin. However, authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the suspects or the specific cybercrime activities they are suspected of carrying out.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the nature of the alleged operations, their international connections, sources of financing and the individuals who may have organised or facilitated the activities.
For NaTCA, the operation underscores the importance of collaboration between telecommunications regulators and security institutions in identifying and addressing the potential misuse of communications systems.
The recovery of hundreds of local and international SIM cards, alongside a substantial number of mobile phones and computer systems, is expected to form part of the ongoing investigation into how the equipment may have been used.
The authorities have yet to establish publicly whether the seized devices were directly linked to specific cybercrime offences.

The Government has issued a strong warning against the exploitation of Sierra Leone’s telecommunications infrastructure for criminal purposes.
“The Government will not allow Sierra Leone to be used as a base for cybercrime,” the Ministry stated.
It added that NaTCA, the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and the security services remain vigilant against attempts to exploit the country’s communications infrastructure for unlawful activities.
The Ministry further assured the public that investigations would be thorough and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Citizens have also been encouraged to report suspected cybercrime activities and suspicious operations to the appropriate authorities.
As investigations continue, NaTCA’s collaboration with the security forces highlights the importance of regulatory oversight, intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement in protecting telecommunications infrastructure and strengthening public confidence in the coun