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An extensive international cybercrime operation coordinated by INTERPOL has led to the takedown of more than 11,000 malicious infrastructures across Africa and the arrest of over 1,200 individuals involved in online scams, crypto fraud, and cyber-enabled financial crimes.
The effort, dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0, involved cyber enforcement authorities from 18 African countries, the UK, and a number of private sector partners. Conducted over a three-month period beginning in June, the operation targeted cyber threats including ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and online frauds.
According to INTERPOL, the operation exposed losses totaling approximately $485 million affecting nearly 88,000 victims. Investigators were able to recover $97.4 million and dismantle 11,432 cybercriminal infrastructures.
One of the most significant findings came from Angola, where authorities uncovered 25 unauthorized cryptocurrency mining centers operated by 60 Chinese nationals. These operations were illicitly validating blockchain transactions and were powered by 45 illegal electricity stations, now being repurposed to supply power to underserved areas.
In Zambia, a large-scale online investment scam defrauded around 65,000 victims of nearly $300 million. Authorities arrested 15 suspects and seized digital evidence, including domains, bank accounts, and mobile phones linked to the fraudulent scheme. Victims were tricked into downloading mobile apps that promised high returns on cryptocurrency investments.
The operation also uncovered a suspected human trafficking network in Lusaka, resulting in the seizure of 372 counterfeit passports from seven countries.
In Côte d’Ivoire, cyber investigators disrupted a transnational inheritance scam that originated in Germany. The scheme convinced victims to pay fees to claim a fabricated inheritance, resulting in more than $1.6 million in losses. Local authorities arrested the primary suspect and confiscated cash, vehicles, electronics, and documents connected to the fraud.
Before the operation, cyber investigators from 36 nations participated in training sessions under the InterCOP (International Cyber Offender Prevention Network) initiative.
The crackdown builds on the success of the first Operation Serengeti in 2024 and reflects INTERPOL’s growing capacity to coordinate cross-border cyber enforcement.
