The Maldives police’s Cyber Crime Center took part in a major global cybercrime crackdown spearheaded by the Interpol, which led to the dismantling of over 20,000 malicious IP addresses and domains associated with information-stealing malware.
‘Operation Secure’, which was led by Interpol and coordinated through the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations Against Cybercrime (ASPJOC), took place from January to April.
Maldives is among 26 countries that took part in the operation.
In a statement on Thursday, the Maldives police said the operation resulted in the dismantling of over 20,000 malicious IP addresses and domains associated with information-stealing malware.
These "info-stealers" are designed to covertly extract sensitive data, including passwords, credit card details, browser credentials, and cryptocurrency wallet information, often serving as a gateway to more severe cyberattacks such as ransomware and financial fraud.
During the operation, the Maldives police investigated digital threats and indicators specific to the Maldivian cyber landscape.
In collaboration with Interpol and several private-sector entities, the police gathered, analyzed, and shared intelligence related to malicious cyber infrastructure impacting the country.
The police said that a key component of their efforts involved cooperation with local service providers to obtain technical data crucial in identifying compromised networks and systems.
The findings were shared with international counterparts to strengthen global efforts.
Maldives Police Service headquarters. (File Photo/Sun/Ihthisham Mohamed)
Head of the Cyber Crime Center, Superintendent of Police Mohamed Sameeh said that their involvement in Operation Secure reflects their continued commitment to fighting cybercrime both within the Maldives and across international borders.
 “Collaboration with Interpol and law enforcement agencies worldwide is essential to combating these sophisticated and borderless threats,” he said.
‘Operation Secure’ led to the seizure of 41 servers, over 100 gigabytes of stolen data, and the arrest of 32 suspects involved in illegal cyber activities.
More than 216,000 individuals and organizations were identified as victims or potential victims, many of whom were contacted and advised on protective measures.
The Maldives police emphasized that cybercrime remains a growing global challenge, and pledged to continue enhancing their technical capabilities while strengthening partnerships with international agencies.
“The digital world is increasingly becoming interconnected, and so must be our response to the threats it faces,” said Sameeh.
The police said that ‘Operation Secure’ marks one of the most coordinated and large-scale responses to info-stealer malware to date, highlighting the importance of global cooperation in addressing modern cybercrime.