OMM Newsroom
At least 1,462 people were arrested across Africa in an operation that recovered $105 million in illicit funds, Interpol said Thursday, according to Anadolu Agency.
The criminal activities linked to the suspects caused losses of more than $385 million, the agency said. Operation Serengeti III was conducted from June 29 to Aug. 31, involving law enforcement agencies from 21 countries and disrupting 10,909 malicious networks.
Investigators identified nearly 66,000 victims of cybercrime involving online investment scams, ransomware, digital extortion and fraudulent business communications.
In Uganda, police dismantled two international fraud operations and arrested 365 foreign nationals accused of targeting people in Asia with investment and pension scams. The suspects allegedly ran call centres where workers used prepared scripts, counterfeit investment websites and fraudulent trading platforms to persuade victims, including pensioners, to put money into nonexistent financial opportunities.
Angolan authorities shut down two illegal cryptocurrency mining facilities, arrested nine suspects and seized more than 2,000 mining devices. Police also seized six unauthorized electrical installations; the confiscated power infrastructure alone was valued at more than $1 million.
In Nigeria, investigators arrested a suspect accused of running a large-scale phishing scheme that collected software login credentials and about 2.1 million email addresses. A separate investigation uncovered an international investment fraud promoted through messaging applications. Investigators traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of it transferred through cryptocurrency transactions.
Authorities also disrupted fraudulent mobile lending operations in Tanzania, an online vehicle import scam in Gabon and a cybercrime network in the Republic of Congo, where 30 suspects were arrested.
Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and the United States were among the participating countries. Interpol said intelligence sharing and cooperation with technology companies helped investigators identify suspicious online infrastructure and trace criminal activity across borders.
The agency warned that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence to create more sophisticated schemes and reach more victims.
“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,” Interpol Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton said.
Interpol said several investigations remain underway as authorities pursue additional suspects and examine digital evidence recovered during the operation.
