INTERPOL Leads Arrest of 1,209 Suspects in Pan-African Cybercrime Crackdown, Recovers $97 Million

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INTERPOL Leads Arrest of 1,209 Suspects in Pan-African Cybercrime Crackdown, Recovers $97 Million

By CircleID Reporter
August 22, 2025, 7:40 am PDT Views: 19,312 Add Comment

Key metrics from Operation Serengeti 2.0 highlight arrests, losses, and recoveries in coordinated cybercrime efforts.

Authorities across 18 African nations, aided by the United Kingdom and INTERPOL, have arrested 1,209 suspects and dismantled over 11,000 illicit cyber infrastructures. Operation Serengeti 2.0, conducted between June and August 2025, targeted ransomware, business email compromise, and investment fraud—crimes identified as particularly damaging in the region.

Crypto crackdown: The effort, bolstered by intelligence from private-sector firms such as Group-IB, resulted in the recovery of $97.4 million and exposed the scale of online criminal networks exploiting lax cross-border enforcement. Angola emerged as a hotspot, where 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centres operated by 60 Chinese nationals were shut down. Authorities also seized equipment and power infrastructure worth $37 million, now slated for public use.

In Zambia, a vast crypto investment scam defrauded 65,000 victims out of nearly $300 million through deceptive advertising and fraudulent apps. Fifteen arrests have been made, with investigations continuing into international accomplices. Zambian authorities also disrupted a human trafficking ring and seized hundreds of forged passports.

Côte d’Ivoire cracked open a transnational inheritance fraud scheme originating in Germany, arresting the ringleader and recovering valuables linked to losses of $1.6 million.

The crackdown was preceded by targeted training in open-source intelligence, crypto forensics, and ransomware tactics—skills that proved pivotal in tracking down perpetrators. Prevention was also central to the operation, with efforts coordinated through InterCOP, a multinational initiative aimed at preempting cyber threats.

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By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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