Sharjah Police announced the dismantling of four interlinked international criminal networks responsible for laundering more than Dh8.825 billion through hacking, digital fraud and virtual-asset schemes. Thirty-three suspects of 12 nationalities were arrested in the operation.
Lieutenant General Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, said each network specialised in a different stage of the scheme: one carried out hacking and data theft, another handled money laundering through virtual assets, a third used social engineering to steal digital wallets, and a fourth resorted to physical intimidation of victims to extract funds. Investigators said the suspects relied on encrypted communication channels, restricted online platforms, and even artificial-intelligence tools to craft convincing phishing campaigns, later selling stolen data on dark-web marketplaces.
Authorities seized more than Dh200 million in cash along with luxury assets including 17 vehicles, 29 watches, jewellery, villas and land plots. Attorney General of Sharjah, Counsellor Anwar Al Harmoudi, said the case reflects close coordination between security and judicial bodies across the UAE in tackling transnational cybercrime.
The operation ranks among the largest cyber-financial crime busts in the UAE this year, underscoring the country's continued investment in surveillance technology and cross-border cooperation to counter digital financial crime networks. Sharjah Police urged residents to immediately report suspicious messages or requests for banking information received through messaging apps.