INTERPOL Cybercrime Operation Arrests 1,462 Suspects Across 21 Countries

An INTERPOL -coordinated cybercrime operation involving law enforcement agencies in 21 countries has resulted in the arrest of 1,462 suspects, the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks and the recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.

Operation Serengeti III ran from June 29 to August 31, 2026, targeting cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), online scams and digital extortion. Investigators identified 65,929 victims targeted by cybercriminal networks, while financial investigations linked criminal activities to losses exceeding $385 million.

The operation comes amid an evolving cybersecurity threat landscape across Africa. INTERPOL’s African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026 highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence in cybercrime and continued increases in financial losses associated with cyber-enabled offences.

Before the operation began, investigators from 20 African countries and the United States received intelligence on suspicious domains, IP addresses and command-and-control infrastructure linked to suspected criminal activity. Private-sector partners also provided intelligence, technical analysis and operational expertise to help authorities identify targets, map criminal networks and support investigations.

INTERPOL Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton said international cooperation remains essential to countering criminal networks operating across borders.

“Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders, exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale. Operation Serengeti III reinforces a clear message: while cybercrime is increasingly borderless, international cooperation remains one of the most effective tools for disrupting criminal networks, recovering criminal assets and protecting communities from digital harm.”

– Neal Jetton, Director of Cybercrime, INTERPOL

In Uganda, authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in online investment and pension fraud schemes targeting victims across Asia. Investigators uncovered a rotating call-centre operation that used scripted communications, fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to persuade pensioners to invest in non-existent opportunities.

In Angola, authorities dismantled two illegal cryptocurrency mining centres, arrested nine suspects and seized more than 2,000 cryptocurrency mining devices, as well as six illegal power transformation stations. The seized electrical infrastructure was valued at more than $1 million.

Nigerian authorities arrested a suspect linked to a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation that harvested software credentials and collected approximately 2.1 million email addresses. Investigators also recovered a luxury vehicle suspected of having been purchased with criminal proceeds.

In a separate Nigerian investigation, authorities targeted an international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging applications and arrested a suspect. Financial investigations traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of which was allegedly laundered through cryptocurrency transactions.

Elsewhere, investigators dismantled a malicious mobile loan application scheme in Tanzania, disrupted a social media-based vehicle import fraud network in Gabon and arrested 30 suspects linked to a cybercrime operation in the Republic of Congo.

INTERPOL said several investigations arising from Operation Serengeti III remain active, with authorities continuing to identify potential suspects, trace illicit proceeds and analyse digital evidence seized during the operation.

The operation received support from private-sector and cybersecurity partners, including Group-IB, Kaspersky, Fortinet, TrendAI, Team Cymru, Uppsala Security, Cybercrime Atlas, Meta, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

It was co-funded by the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

The 21 participating countries were Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.