INTERPOL, in collaboration with authorities across Africa, has arrested 1,209 suspected cybercriminals and dismantled 11,432 malicious online infrastructures in one of the largest crackdowns on cybercrime in the region.
The operation, codenamed Serengeti 2.0, ran from June to August 2025 and led to the recovery of $97.4 million linked to online fraud targeting nearly 88,000 victims.
The operation brought together investigators from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom to tackle high-impact cybercrimes, including ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and online scams—threats highlighted in INTERPOL’s latest Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report.
According to a statement from INTERPOL, intelligence provided ahead of the raids included suspicious IP addresses, domains, and command-and-control servers, while private sector partners contributed expertise in tracking crypto crimes, ransomware analysis, and digital forensics.
Crypto mines, online fraud, and inheritance scams
In Angola, police shut down 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centres operated by 60 Chinese nationals. Authorities also confiscated 45 illicit power stations and IT equipment worth more than $37 million, which the government now plans to repurpose for power distribution in underserved areas.
- Zambia emerged as another hotspot, where law enforcement uncovered a large-scale online investment fraud that duped 65,000 victims into cryptocurrency scams, resulting in estimated losses of $300 million.
- Fifteen suspects were arrested, and investigators seized domains, bank accounts, and mobile numbers tied to the fraudulent scheme. Zambian authorities also disrupted a suspected human trafficking network, seizing 372 forged passports from seven countries.
- Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire cracked a transnational inheritance scam that originated in Germany. Police arrested the ringleader and seized cash, vehicles, electronics, and jewellery linked to the fraudulent operation, which caused losses of $1.6 million.
Despite being one of the oldest forms of internet fraud, inheritance scams continue to generate millions for organized crime groups, INTERPOL noted.
Cross-border cooperation delivering results
Secretary General of INTERPOL, Valdecy Urquiza, hailed the operation as a testament to international collaboration.
“Each INTERPOL-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries. With more contributions and shared expertise, the results keep growing in scale and impact,” Urquiza said.
The operation was carried out under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime, with funding support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
It also received backing from industry players such as Fortinet, Group-IB, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, and TRM Labs, among others.
What you should know
Cybercrime remains one of the fastest-growing security threats globally, with African nations increasingly targeted due to rising digital adoption.
INTERPOL’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report recently released shows that ransomware attacks continue to escalate across Africa, with Nigeria ranking third on the continent with 3,459 ransomware threat detections in 2024.
The report also indicated that cybercrime has become a dominant security concern across Africa, with more than 30% of all reported crimes in Western and Eastern regions linked to cyber activity.
