Major Interpol action sees over a thousand cybercrime suspects arrested across Africa

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Interpol has taken down cybercrime networks across Africa

The emblem of the International Criminal Police Organization Interpol on a textured blue background.
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  • Operation Serengeti has taken down multiple cybercriminal networks
  • Over 35,000 victims were identified during the operation
  • Interpol hit networks related to business-targeted cybercrime

Interpol have released details on Operation Serengeti - a major crackdown on organized cybercrime across Africa in collaboration with AFRIPOL.

The operation, which was coordinated with participation from the private sector and internet service providers (ISPs), culminated in the arrest of 1,006 suspects and the takedown of 134,089 networks and devices.

Operation Serengeti targeted cybercriminals specifically involved in ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion and online scams.

$193 million financial losses

Operation Serengeti took place across 19 countries, with several large-scale cybercriminal operations raided and their infrastructure dismantled, resulting in the recovery of over $43 million in stolen assets. The operation also helped identify more than 35,000 victims worldwide who had lost a combined $193 million.

An $8.6 million credit card fraud ring was identified in Kenya, which used malicious scripts to change the banking systems security protocol to avoid detection before distributing the funds between multiple countries including the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and China through SWIFT payments.

“From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks is of serious concern,” commented Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL.

“Operation Serengeti shows what we can achieve by working together, and these arrests alone will save countless potential future victims from real personal and financial pain. We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will continue targeting these criminal groups worldwide.”

AFRIPOL’s Executive Director Ambassador Jalel Chelba also congratulated the success of the operation, stating, “Through Serengeti, AFRIPOL has significantly enhanced support for law enforcement in African Union Member States. We’ve facilitated key arrests and deepened insights into cybercrime trends. Our focus now includes emerging threats like AI-driven malware and advanced attack techniques.”

In early November 2024, Interpol’s Operation Synergia II took down over 22,000 crime-linked IP addresses and led to the arrest of 41 individuals for their involvement in phishing networks, infostealing malware, and ransomware campaigns.

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Staff Writer (Security)

Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division),  then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.