Dubai Police, FBI, China arrest 276 in global crypto scam crackdown

On April 29, Dubai Police announced the conclusion of Operation Tri-Force Sentinel, a coordinated international action carried out with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and China’s Ministry of Public Security that resulted in 276 arrests and the dismantling of nine cryptocurrency scam centres.

Most of the suspects are nationals of Southeast Asian countries. The US Department of Justice described the joint action as “unprecedented cooperation” between the three forces.

Operation Tri-Force Sentinel: 276 arrests across three countries

Dubai Police, operating under the UAE Ministry of Interior, made 275 of the arrests, with the Royal Thai Police taking one additional fugitive into custody.

The operation delivered “a decisive strike against three criminal syndicates and dismantled nine fraud centres behind high-yield investment scams, pig butchering schemes and virtual currency fraud,” according to the Dubai Media Office.

Six defendants now face federal charges in the Southern District of California for wire fraud and money laundering. Those charged are:

• Thet Min Nyi, 27, a Burmese national, also known as “Pixy”
• Wiliang Awang, 23, an Indonesian national
• Andreas Chandra, 29, an Indonesian national
• Lisa Mariam, 29, an Indonesian national
• Two unnamed fugitive co-conspirators

According to court records, the defendants managed or recruited for three operations identified as “Ko Thet Company,” “Sanduo Group,” and “Giant Company.” Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Dubai Police led the arrest of a key syndicate leader in Thailand in coordination with the Royal Thai Police.

In a high-impact international crackdown on transnational organized financial crime, Dubai Police have carried out a coordinated global operation, codenamed “Tri-Force Sentinel”, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Chinese Police, leading to the… pic.twitter.com/TU1DBT2QlZ

— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) April 29, 2026

The “pig-butchering” mechanics behind the scam centres

Pig-butchering refers to a long-form fraud pattern where operators build online relationships — often posing as romantic partners or friends — before persuading victims to send funds to fraudulent investment platforms.

Victims were guided to open accounts on platforms that appeared legitimate, transfer cryptocurrency, and increase deposits, often by taking out loans.

Fake account dashboards displayed fictitious profits to encourage larger contributions. Once victims lost access, funds were rerouted through laundering networks.

The investigation began in 2025 when FBI San Diego agents launched a Homeland Security Task Force probe into companies operating cryptocurrency-fraud compounds. Meta Platforms provided information used in the investigation. Combined victim losses across the schemes are reported to be in the millions of dollars.

Tri-Force Sentinel runs parallel to Operation Level Up, an FBI-led notification effort that has reached nearly 9,000 victims and helped prevent an estimated $562 million in additional losses as of April 2026, according to the DOJ.

“Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside.” — Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, DOJ Criminal Division

The San Diego cases against Thet Min Nyi, Awang, Chandra, and Mariam are the prosecution thread to watch — Thet Min Nyi’s indictment includes criminal forfeiture allegations, meaning seized crypto and assets are likely in play. Two co-conspirators remain at large.