Interpol has announced the arrest of more than 1,000 individuals suspected of cybercrimes in 19 African countries as part of “Operation Serengeti”. Conducted between September and October, the operation was spearheaded by Interpol in collaboration with Afripol, the African Union’s policing organization.
The suspects were involved in various cybercrimes, including ransomware attacks, digital extortion, phishing, and online scams. Authorities identified over 35,000 victims and linked the cases to nearly $193 million in global financial losses.
“From multilevel marketing scams to large-scale credit card fraud, the growing complexity and volume of cyberattacks are alarming,” said Valdecy Urquiza, Interpol’s secretary general.
Key arrests include nearly two dozen suspects in Kenya connected to $8.6 million in credit card fraud. In Senegal, eight individuals, including five Chinese nationals, were detained for running an online Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 1,800 victims. Nigerian authorities apprehended a man accused of orchestrating cryptocurrency investment scams that reportedly generated over $300,000 in profits.
In Cameroon, authorities dismantled a trafficking ring exploiting victims from seven countries. Trafficking victims, lured with false job offers, were held captive and forced to operate multilevel marketing scams under threat of captivity.
Many cybercriminals are themselves victims of human trafficking, coerced into illegal schemes under severe physical and psychological abuse, according to Interpol. A U.N. report highlights the growing trend of trafficking victims being exploited in pyramid schemes across Africa.
Cybercrime remains a significant global challenge, with financial losses estimated in the hundreds of millions to trillions of dollars, according to the World Cyber Crime Index. The report notes that most cybercrime originates from nations such as Russia, Ukraine, China, the United States, and Nigeria.
“Operation Serengeti demonstrates the power of international collaboration,” said Urquiza. “This is only the beginning, as we will continue to target these criminal networks worldwide.”
