Over 1,200 arrested in Africa-wide cybercrime crackdown, Interpol says
Authorities across Africa have dismantled large-scale cybercrime and fraud networks, arresting over three months more than 1,200 people suspected of carrying out ransomware attacks, online scams, and business email compromise schemes, the international police organization Interpol said on Friday.
The operation, dubbed Serengeti 2.0, was conducted from June to August. Investigators said they have recovered nearly $97.4 million allegedly stolen from more than 88,000 victims worldwide.
In Angola, police shut down 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centers allegedly operated by 60 Chinese nationals. Authorities seized mining and IT equipment worth more than $37 million, along with illicit power stations that had been draining the country’s grid. The government said it plans to repurpose the confiscated equipment to bolster power distribution in vulnerable areas.
In Zambia, authorities broke up a large-scale investment fraud scheme that duped 65,000 victims into losing an estimated $300 million through fake cryptocurrency platforms. Police arrested 15 suspects and seized domains, mobile numbers, and bank accounts linked to the scam. In a separate raid in Lusaka, officers disrupted a suspected human trafficking network and confiscated hundreds of forged passports from seven countries.
In an earlier report, Interpol said the rapid growth of technology in Africa — especially in finance and e-commerce — has created new opportunities for cybercriminals. At the same time, weak cybersecurity standards leave critical infrastructure such as banks and government institutions vulnerable to attacks, resulting in data breaches, financial losses, and trade disruptions.
Interpol also warned in August that West Africa is emerging as a hotspot for cybercrime compounds, echoing patterns in Southeast Asia where criminal groups run large scam centers and often exploit workers under coercive conditions.
In June, Nigeria sentenced nine Chinese nationals to prison for running a syndicate that recruited young Nigerians into online fraud schemes. China’s ambassador to Nigeria proposed sending a working group to the country to investigate cybercrime perpetrated by Chinese nationals in the region.
Daryna Antoniuk
is a reporter for Recorded Future News based in Ukraine. She writes about cybersecurity startups, cyberattacks in Eastern Europe and the state of the cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia. She previously was a tech reporter for Forbes Ukraine. Her work has also been published at Sifted, The Kyiv Independent and The Kyiv Post.