INTERPOL Operation Nabs 1,200 Cybercriminals, $97M Recovered Across Africa
In a sweeping INTERPOL-coordinated operation, authorities across Africa have arrested 1,209 cybercriminals targeting nearly 88,000 victims.
The crackdown recovered USD 97.4 million and dismantled 11,432 malicious infrastructures, underscoring the global reach of cybercrime and the urgent need for cross-border cooperation.
Operation Serengeti 2.0 (June to August 2025) brought together investigators from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom to tackle high-harm and high-impact cybercrimes including ransomware, online scams and business email compromise (BEC). These were all identified as prominent threats in the recent INTERPOL Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report.
The operation was strengthened by private sector collaboration, with partners providing intelligence, guidance and training to help investigators act on intelligence and identify offenders effectively.
This intelligence was shared with participating countries ahead of the operation, providing critical information on specific threats as well as suspicious IP addresses, domains and C2 servers.
Operational highlights: From crypto mining to inheritance scams
Authorities in Angola dismantled 25 cryptocurrency mining centres, where 60 Chinese nationals were illegally validating blockchain transactions to generate cryptocurrency. The crackdown identified 45 illicit power stations which were confiscated, along with mining and IT equipment worth more than USD 37 million, now earmarked by the government to support power distribution in vulnerable areas.
Zambian authorities dismantled a large-scale online investment fraud scheme, identifying 65,000 victims who lost an estimated USD 300 million. The scammers lured victims into investing in cryptocurrency through extensive advertising campaigns promising high-yield returns. Victims were then instructed to download multiple apps to participate. Authorities arrested 15 individuals and seized key evidence including domains, mobile numbers and bank accounts. Investigations are ongoing with efforts focused on tracking down overseas collaborators.
Also in Zambia, authorities identified a scam centre and, in joint operations with the Immigration Department in Lusaka, disrupted a suspected human trafficking network. They confiscated 372 forged passports from seven countries.
Despite being one of the oldest-running internet frauds, inheritance scams continue to generate significant funds for criminal organizations. Officers in CĂ´te d’Ivoire dismantled a transnational inheritance scam originating in Germany, arresting the primary suspect and seizing assets including electronics, jewellery, cash, vehicles and documents. With victims tricked into paying fees to claim fake inheritances, the scam caused an estimated USD 1.6 million in losses.
“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. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims.”
– Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General, INTERPOL
Prior to the operation, investigators participated in a series of hands-on workshops covering open-source intelligence tools and techniques, cryptocurrency investigations and ransomware analysis. This focused training strengthened their skills and expertise, directly contributing to the effectiveness of the investigations and operational successes.
The operation also focused on prevention through a partnership with the International Cyber Offender Prevention Network (InterCOP), a consortium of law enforcement agencies from 36 countries dedicated to identifying and mitigating potential cybercriminal activity before it occurs. The InterCOP project is led by the Netherlands and aims to promote a proactive approach to tackling cybercrime.
Operation Serengeti 2.0 was held under the umbrella of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Operational partners:
Cybercrime Atlas, Fortinet, Group-IB, Kaspersky, The Shadowserver Foundation, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs and Uppsala Security.
Participating countries:
Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
