Interpol Arrests Over 1,000 Suspects in Major Africa Cybercrime Crackdown

Operation Serengeti dismantled criminal networks across 19 African nations, uncovering $193 million in global financial losses and identifying 35,000 victims.

Operation Serengeti, conducted from September 2 to October 31, targeted cybercrimes such as ransomware, business email compromise, and online scams.
The operation, a collaboration between Interpol and Afripol, led to 1,006 arrests and the disruption of criminal schemes across 19 African countries.
Key cases included a $6 million Ponzi scheme in Senegal, an $8.6 million credit card fraud ring in Kenya, and a human trafficking network in Cameroon.
Emerging threats like AI-driven malware and advanced cyberattack techniques have been identified as future priorities for Afripol.
The operation highlighted the importance of local law enforcement and private sector partnerships in combating increasingly sophisticated cybercrime.