What you need to know about Interpol’s $97m cybercrime bust across 18 African countries
In one of the largest cybercrime crackdowns ever mounted in Africa, authorities across 18 countries, supported by Interpol and the UK, arrested 1,209 suspects and identified nearly 88,000 victims.
The three-month operation, dubbed Serengeti 2.0, recovered USD 97.4 million, dismantled more than 11,000 malicious infrastructures, and underscored the urgent need for cross-border cooperation in fighting online crime.
Here’s a breakdown of actions taken:
Angola
In Angola, authorities dismantled 25 cryptocurrency mining centres run by 60 Chinese nationals. The crackdown also uncovered 45 illicit power stations, confiscating mining equipment and IT assets worth more than USD 37 million, which the government now plans to redirect to support power distribution in vulnerable areas.
Zambia
In Zambia, the FBI reported that authorities broke up a massive online investment fraud scheme that had lured 65,000 victims into fake cryptocurrency ventures through aggressive advertising campaigns. The fraud caused losses estimated at USD 300 million. Police arrested 15 suspects, seizing domains, mobile numbers, and bank accounts linked to the scam. In a separate case, investigators uncovered a scam centre suspected of ties to human trafficking, confiscating 372 forged passports from seven countries in joint operations with the Immigration Department in Lusaka.
Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire authorities dismantled a transnational inheritance scam with roots in Germany, arresting the main suspect and seizing electronics, jewellery, cash, vehicles, and documents. The scam, which tricked victims into paying fees for fake inheritances, caused losses of USD 1.6 million.
Other countries involved
Operation Serengeti 2.0 was carried out under the umbrella of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime in other countries including; Benin, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza praised the results, saying, “Each Interpol-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims.”
The operation ran from June to August 2025 and brought together investigators from across Africa and the United Kingdom to tackle high-impact cybercrimes such as ransomware, online scams, and business email compromise (BEC).
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
