By Interpol announced Tuesday the arrest of 1,006 suspects in a sweeping two-month cybercrime operation across Africa that uncovered tens of thousands of victims and nearly $193 million in financial losses worldwide.
Operation Serengeti, conducted jointly with Afripol, the African Union’s police agency, targeted criminals behind ransomware, business email compromise, digital extortion, and online scams across 19 African countries between September 2 and October 31.
“From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks is of serious concern,” said Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.
The operation’s success marks a significant improvement in African cybercrime enforcement. Enrique Hernandez Gonzalez, Interpol’s Assistant Director of Cybercrime Operations, told The Associated Press that previous operations in Africa had resulted in only 25 arrests over the past two years.
Notable cases included the arrest of nearly two dozen suspects in Kenya linked to an $8.6 million credit card fraud scheme, and the detention of eight people, including five Chinese nationals, in Senegal for operating a $6 million online Ponzi scheme.
Authorities also dismantled a human trafficking operation in Cameroon using multi-level marketing schemes, an illegal virtual casino in Angola, and a cryptocurrency investment scam in Nigeria.
Afripol Executive Director Jalel Chelba said the organization is now focusing on emerging threats, including artificial intelligence-driven malware and advanced cyberattack techniques.
The operation highlights Interpol’s growing challenges as it approaches its second century. The 196-member organization operates on an annual budget of approximately 176 million euros ($188 million), significantly less than Europol’s 200 million euros or the FBI’s $11 billion, while facing an increasing caseload of cybercrime and child sex abuse cases amid rising divisions among member countries.
APNEWS
