African Cybercrime Assault Under Interpol's Guidance Results in 1209 Detentions
In a significant development, Operation Serengeti 2.0, a large-scale law enforcement operation coordinated by Interpol, has taken down a 1000-person cybercriminal network. The operation, which ran from June to August 2025, involved participation from 18 African countries, including Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.
The activities of this network were far-reaching, encompassing ransomware, online scams, and business email compromise (BEC). As a result, over 88,000 victims suffered losses totalling $484,965,199. However, a substantial portion of these funds, amounting to $97,418,228, was recovered.
In Côte d'Ivoire, a cross-border inheritance scam originating in Germany was dismantled, causing losses of $1.6m before the primary suspect was arrested and assets were seized.
Meanwhile, in Angola, law enforcement agencies dismantled 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centers operated by 60 Chinese nationals. The confiscation of 45 illicit power stations and mining equipment worth over $37m will now support power distribution in underserved areas. Additionally, 11,432 malicious infrastructure assets were dismantled, all in Angola.
The operation also targeted a scam center in Zambia, resulting in the arrest of at least 15 suspects and the confiscation of 372 forged passports from seven countries. This raid disrupted a suspected human trafficking operation.
The online investment fraud scheme uncovered in Zambia was worth an estimated $300m, defrauding 65,000 victims through fake cryptocurrency ads and fraudulent apps.
Operation Serengeti 2.0 was held under the umbrella of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime, funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The operation prioritized prevention through a partnership with the International Cyber Offender Prevention Network (InterCOP), a 36-nation alliance led by the Netherlands.
Private companies such as Fortinet, Group-IB, Kaspersky, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, Uppsala Security, and nonprofit organizations like Cybercrime Atlas and the Shadowserver Foundation also played a crucial role in the operation.
Dmitry Volkov, CEO of Group-IB, commented that the operation protected victims across Africa and strengthened the resilience of the digital ecosystem. The success of Operation Serengeti 2.0 underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
