INTERPOL targets African crime syndicates, arrests 1,209 suspects and recovers over $90 million

The operation, dubbed Serengeti 2.0, ran from June to August 2025 and recovered $97.4 million. Authorities also dismantled more than 11,400 malicious online infrastructures, exposing the scale of cyber-enabled crime sweeping across borders.

Investigators from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom joined forces to target ransomware, online scams, and business email compromise schemes.

These crimes, flagged in INTERPOL’s latest Africa Cyberthreat Assessment, remain among the most damaging threats to individuals and businesses on the continent.

The crackdown was coordinated under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime, with funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

“Each INTERPOL-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries. With more contributions and shared expertise, the results keep growing in scale and impact. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims,” Urquiza said.

Authorities in Angola dismantled 25 cryptocurrency mining centers operated by 60 Chinese nationals. The operation led to the seizure of mining equipment valued at more than $37 million.

The Angolan government announced that the confiscated assets would be repurposed to support power distribution in vulnerable communities.

In Zambia, investigators broke up a vast fraudulent investment scheme that defrauded more than 65,000 victims of an estimated $300 million.

Criminals lured victims into cryptocurrency investments through aggressive advertising campaigns that promised high-yield returns, instructing participants to download multiple apps.

Authorities arrested 15 suspects and seized evidence including domains, mobile numbers, and bank accounts. In the process, a suspected human trafficking network linked to the scam center was also disrupted.

Interpol also reported the dismantling of a transnational inheritance scam in Ivory Coast, traced back to Germany. Victims were deceived into paying fees to claim fake inheritances, causing $1.6 million in losses.

“Despite being one of the oldest-running internet frauds, inheritance scams continue to generate significant funds for criminal organizations,” INTERPOL said.