One of Africa’s largest cybercrime enforcement operations saw law enforcement agencies from 21 countries arrest 1 462 suspects, disrupt 10 909 malicious networks and recover over $105 million in illicit funds.
Under Interpol co-ordination, investigators from participating countries joined forces in Operation Serengeti III between end June and end August to combat cyber enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), online scams and digital extortion.
Authorities identified 65 929 victims targeted by cybercriminal networks, emphasising the scale and sophistication of digital threats. Financial investigations linked criminal activity to losses exceeding $385 million.
The operation comes as Interpol’s African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026 points to a rapidly evolving threat landscape, with artificial intelligence increasingly enabling cybercrime activity across the continent and cyber-enabled financial losses continuing to rise.
Prior to the operation, investigators from 20 African countries and the United States (US) were provided with actionable intelligence on suspicious domains, IP addresses as well as command and control infrastructure linked to criminal activity.
Operation Serengeti III was supported by private sector partners to disrupt cybercriminal networks operating across Africa, Interpol said. They provided intelligence, technical analysis and operational expertise helping authorities identify targets, map criminal networks and support investigative activities continentally.
“Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale. Operation Serengeti III reinforces a clear message: while cybercrime is increasingly borderless, international co-operation remains one of the most effective tools for disrupting criminal networks, recovering criminal assets and protecting communities from digital harm,” Neal Jetton, Interpol Cybercrime Director, said.
In Uganda, authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals linked to sophisticated online investment and pension fraud schemes targeting victims across Asia. Investigators uncovered a rotating call centre model using scripted communications, fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to deceive pensioners into investing in non-existent opportunities.
In Angola, investigators dismantled two illegal cryptocurrency mining centres, arresting nine suspects and seizing more than 2 000 cryptocurrency mining devices alongside six illegal power transformation stations. Seized electrical infrastructure was valued at over $1 million.
In Nigeria, authorities arrested a suspect behind a large scale phishing and business email compromise operation that harvested software credentials and amassed over two million email addresses. Investigators also recovered a luxury vehicle suspected to have been purchased with criminal proceeds.
A separate Nigerian investigation targeted an international investment fraud scheme promoted via messaging apps, leading to the arrest of a suspect. Financial investigations revealed movement of more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of which was laundered through cryptocurrency transactions.
Elsewhere, authorities dismantled a malicious mobile loan application scheme in Tanzania, disrupted a social media-based vehicle import fraud network in Gabon and arrested 30 suspects linked to a cybercrime operation in the Republic of Congo.
Several investigations stemming from Operation Serengeti III remain active, with authorities continuing efforts to identify additional suspects, trace illicit proceeds and analyse digital evidence seized during the operation.
Participating countries were Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United States (US), Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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