Interpol arrested 1,006 suspects in Africa during Operation Serengeti against cybercrime. The operation, which spanned 19 countries, identified 35,000 victims and resulted in losses of $193 million. Cases including card fraud, ransomware, and Ponzi schemes were dismantled.
FILE – People walk past the Interpol logo at the international police agency's headquarters in Lyon, central France, November 8, 2018.
Interpol, cybercrime, Operation Serengeti, Africa, online fraud, ransomware, Ponzi scheme, cybercrime, arrests
Dakar, Senegal — Interpol arrested 1,006 suspects in Africa during Operation Serengeti, a massive two-month effort to combat cybercrimes that left tens of thousands of victims and caused nearly $193 million in financial losses worldwide, the international police organization said Tuesday.
The operation, carried out in conjunction with Afripol, the African Union's law enforcement agency, took place between September 2 and October 31 in 19 African countries. Its primary objective was to dismantle criminal networks involved in ransomware, business email compromise, digital extortion, and online scams. According to Interpol, the operation resulted in the identification of 35,000 victims of these crimes.
"From multi-level marketing scams to massive credit card fraud, the volume and sophistication of cyberattacks are alarming," said Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of Interpol. Collaboration between local law enforcement and private sector partners, including internet service providers, was key to the success of the operation, he added.
In Kenya, for example, police made nearly two dozen arrests related to an online credit card fraud that resulted in losses of $8.6 million. Meanwhile, in Senegal, authorities arrested eight people—including five Chinese nationals—linked to an online Ponzi scheme involving approximately $6 million.
Operation Serengeti not only highlighted the scope of cybercrime in Africa, but also the increased capacity of participating countries to combat it. Enrique Hernández González, Interpol's Deputy Director of Cybercrime Operations, emphasized that this effort represented a "dramatic increase" compared to previous operations in the region, where only 25 arrests had been made in the previous two years. "The progress achieved reflects a significant change in countries' ability to generate intelligence and obtain concrete results," he stated.
In Cameroon, a criminal network using a multi-level marketing scheme as a front for human trafficking was dismantled. In Angola, authorities dismantled an international group operating an illegal virtual casino, while in Nigeria, a cryptocurrency investment scam was dismantled.
Jalel Chelba, Executive Director of Afripol, emphasized that Operation Serengeti marked a milestone in support for the police forces of African Union member countries. Chelba also underscored the need to address emerging threats, such as artificial intelligence-driven malware and advanced cyberattack techniques.
Interpol, with 196 member countries, celebrated its centenary last year and continues to work to facilitate international police cooperation in areas such as terrorism, financial crimes, child pornography, and organized crime. Despite being the world's largest law enforcement organization, it faces significant challenges, including rising cybercrime and divisions among its members. Furthermore, it operates on a relatively limited budget of about €176 million ($188 million), far below Europol's more than €200 million budget or the FBI's $11 billion budget in the United States.
