DAKAR (SENEGAL): Interpol’s major cybercrime crackdown across Africa has led to the arrest of 1,209 suspects and the recovery of nearly USD 97.4 million, the organisation announced today.
Named Operation Serengeti 2.0, the initiative ran from June to August and involved investigators from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom. The operation targeted harmful cybercrimes such as inheritance scams, ransomware, and business email compromise, affecting nearly 88,000 victims.
Cryptocurrency and online scams
In Angola, authorities shut down 25 cryptocurrency mining centres operated by 60 Chinese nationals, confiscating equipment valued at over USD 37 million. The government plans to repurpose the equipment to support power distribution in vulnerable regions.
In Zambia, the operation uncovered an online investment scheme that defrauded over 65,000 victims of approximately USD 300 million through a fraudulent high-return cryptocurrency scam. Interpol explained that victims were lured with promises of high returns and instructed to download multiple apps. Fifteen people were arrested, and authorities seized evidence including domains, mobile numbers, and bank accounts. Investigators also disrupted a suspected human trafficking network while locating the scam centre.
In the Ivory Coast, a transnational inheritance scam originating from Germany was dismantled. Victims were tricked into paying fees to claim fake inheritances, resulting in USD 1.6 million in losses. Interpol noted that, despite being one of the oldest internet frauds, inheritance scams continue to generate significant funds for criminal networks.
Interpol’s role
Interpol, with 196 member countries and headquartered in Lyon, France, is the world’s largest international police network. Celebrating its centennial last year, it assists national police forces in tracking suspects and combating crimes including terrorism, financial crime, cybercrime, child exploitation, and organised crime.
In recent years, Interpol has faced challenges such as rising cybercrime, child abuse cases, and increasing divisions among its member countries. During the first Operation Serengeti last year, over 1,000 arrests were made, targeting 35,000 victims.
