Following extensive denunciations of online scams and kidnappings of individuals residing abroad, the Central Service of Judicial Investigations of the National Gendarmerie initiated an inquiry on May 16, 2026.

The diligent investigations led to the successful dismantling of a widespread criminal network involved in human trafficking and exploitation. This illicit operation masqueraded as legitimate network marketing activities under the guise of organizations such as QNET, IGNITE, and UNIMEC. The operation resulted in the apprehension of 13 individuals, including six primary coordinators operating within Cameroon and seven active representatives or intermediaries. Authorities also identified over 600 victims who had been ensnared by the network, along with numerous properties used as logistical bases and collective accommodations in key Cameroonian cities: Douala, Bafoussam, Ebolowa, Kye-Ossi, Bertoua, Ngaoundéré, Maroua, Garoua, and Yaoundé.

Colonel Atangana Fiacre Kisito, Deputy Central Director of Coordination (DCC-A) and Director of Employment and Structures (DES), revealed details about the perpetrators. The masterminds behind this sophisticated scheme are believed to be based in Malaysia, with active branches extending across West and Central Africa. Their primary targets include vulnerable young people, job seekers, students, and those aspiring to emigrate. The network’s modus operandi involves luring victims with deceptive promises of overseas employment or training, assurances of high returns with no risk, and aggressive, high-pressure recruitment tactics.

Once recruited, victims were coerced into paying exorbitant fees. They were then confined to properties converted into communal dormitories, where they endured coercive supervision and relentless pressure. Disturbingly, some victims from the southern regions of Cameroon were trafficked through Garoua into Nigeria. Furthermore, foreign nationals, particularly Chadians, were integrated into local networks operating within Yaoundé’s neighborhoods of Awae, Tam-Tam, Mvan, and Nkozoa.

In light of the significant scale of this criminal enterprise, Colonel Atangana Fiacre Kisito urged the public to exercise heightened vigilance. He specifically cautioned against falling prey to