Interpol has announced the arrest of more than 1,200 people and the recovery of nearly $100 million in a sweeping cybercrime crackdown carried out across Africa.
The operation, dubbed Serengeti 2.0, took place between June and August and involved cooperation between the United Kingdom and 18 African nations. Investigators uncovered more than 88,000 victims of online fraud schemes, from cryptocurrency scams to classic inheritance fraud.
In Angola, authorities dismantled 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centers operated by Chinese nationals, seizing equipment worth around $37 million. Officials said proceeds from the seizure would be directed toward improving the country’s electricity network.
Elsewhere, Côte d’Ivoire police shut down a cross-border inheritance scam network responsible for $1.6 million in losses, while Zambian investigators exposed an online investment scheme that defrauded about 65,000 people of nearly $300 million.
Interpol warned that cybercrime has become one of Africa’s fastest-growing threats, now accounting for more than 30% of reported crimes in parts of West and East Africa. In some countries, cases of online fraud have spiked by over 3,000% in the past year.
Officials said the coordinated operation marks a significant step in strengthening international cooperation against cybercriminals who exploit weak regulation and digital vulnerability across the continent.