More than 1,200 arrested in Interpol African cybercrime operation | #cybercrime | #infosec

Aug. 22 (UPI) — Authorities in Britain and 18 African countries arrested more than 1,200 people in a large-scale cybercrime operation affecting almost 88,000 victims, Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization confirmed Friday.

Officials also recovered $97.4 million during Operation Serengeti 2.0, locating and destroying 11,432 physical instances of “malicious infrastructure,” Interpol said in a statement.

An online investment fraud scheme dismantled in Zambia which cost approximately 65,000 victims a combined $300 million was one of the highlights of the operation, which began in June and ran through this month.

Officials began targeting cybercrime operations in several African countries, under AFJOC, Interpol’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime division. The unit receives funding from Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Additionally, officials in Angola identified 25 cryptocurrency mining centers containing 45 illicit power stations. The hardware was valued at more than $37 million and will now be used by the country’s government for its power grid.

Officials also arrested 60 Chinese nationals across the locations in Angola. They are accused of generating cryptocurrencies by illegally validating blockchain transactions.

A separate scheme uncovered and dismantled in the Ivory Coast is believed to have started in Germany and targeted unsuspecting victims using a so-called inheritance scam. Officials recovered illicitly obtained jewelry, cash and electronics and other items worth around $1.6 million while arresting a primary suspect.

Despite its effectiveness, officials described the style of the scam as “one of the oldest-running internet frauds,” tricking victims into paying fake inheritance claim fees.

“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,” Interpol General Secretary Valdecy Urquiza said in the agency’s statement.

In a recent statement, Interpol warned of “a sharp rise in cybercrime in Africa.”

“This fourth edition of the INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment provides a vital snapshot of the current situation, informed by operational intelligence, extensive law enforcement engagement and strategic private-sector collaboration. It paints a clear picture of a threat landscape in flux, with emerging dangers like AI-driven fraud that demand urgent attention. No single agency or country can face these challenges alone,” Interpol Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton said in a statement at the time.

In addition to Angola, Britain, the Ivory Coast and Zambia, officials from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zimbabwe participated in the operation.