A major online scam network operating internationally has been dismantled in a joint operation involving six Asian countries, including Maldives.

The operation resulted in the arrest of nearly 2,000 individuals and the freezing of tens of thousands of bank accounts.

According to reports in Hong Kong media, the scam network was responsible for defrauding victims of approximately USD 20 million, equivalent to MVR 308 million. The joint operation, named “Frontier Plus,” ran from April 28 to May 28 and included law enforcement agencies from Maldives, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Macau.

A total of 1,858 individuals between the ages of 14 and 81 were arrested, and more than 32,000 bank accounts linked to the scams were frozen.

Authorities have not confirmed whether any of those arrested are Maldivian nationals.

The suspects were reportedly involved in a wide range of fraudulent activities, including online shopping scams, phone fraud, fake investment schemes, and bogus job offers.

Hong Kong Police Commercial Crime Bureau Chief Superintendent Ernest Wong Chun-yu confirmed the details of the operation, which was announced during a joint press conference hosted by police from Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and Macau.

Singapore’s Police Anti-Scam Command Assistant Commissioner Eileen Yap stated that the collaborative operation helped disrupt numerous cross-border fraud cases and highlighted the value of real-time information sharing during such missions.

One case involved a Singaporean finance director who was scammed using a deepfake video that impersonated the CEO of a multinational company. The director transferred USD 499,000 to Hong Kong, but authorities were able to recover the funds thanks to coordinated efforts under the operation.