In a sweeping crackdown on cybercrime across Africa, INTERPOL's Operation Serengeti has resulted in over 1,000 arrests and the dismantling of more than 134,000 criminal networks between September and October 2024.
The two-month operation spanned 19 African nations, targeting criminals involved in ransomware attacks, business email compromise schemes, digital extortion, and various online scams. These criminal activities affected more than 35,000 victims worldwide, causing financial losses of approximately $193 million.
Among the notable arrests, authorities in Senegal apprehended eight individuals, including five Chinese nationals, connected to a $6 million online Ponzi scheme. During raids on their properties, law enforcement discovered 900 SIM cards, $11,000 in cash, electronic devices, and identification documents linked to 1,811 victims.
The operation also shut down a fraudulent virtual casino in Luanda that targeted Brazilian and Nigerian gamblers through a deceptive recruitment scheme promising winnings to members who brought in new subscribers.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza emphasized the growing threat of sophisticated cybercrime attacks, stating that while these arrests will prevent numerous future victims, they represent "just the tip of the iceberg."
Private sector partners provided valuable support during the operation. Group-IB identified approximately 10,000 DDoS attacks originating from African servers over the past year, along with over 3,000 phishing domains in the region. Kaspersky contributed by sharing intelligence on threat actors, ransomware attacks, and malware targeting African nations.
The participating countries included Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.