A large-scale international operation against cybercrime, coordinated by INTERPOL, has led to the arrest of 1,462 suspects, the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks, and the recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.
Conducted in 21 countries, including 19 African countries, the operation highlights the scale of the digital threats facing the continent.
Dubbed Serengeti III, the campaign took place from June 29 to August 31, 2026. It targeted several forms of cybercrime, including online scams, ransomware, investment fraud, business email compromise, and digital extortion.
According to INTERPOL, 65,929 victims were targeted by the identified criminal networks. Financial investigations linked these activities to losses exceeding $385 million.
In Uganda, law enforcement agencies dismantled two transnational fraud networks and arrested 365 foreign nationals. These networks were involved in investment and pension scams, particularly targeting victims in Asia. Investigators uncovered call centers using fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to deceive investors.
In Nigeria, a suspect was arrested in connection with a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation. Investigations uncovered a system for harvesting software credentials and approximately 2.1 million email addresses.
Another investigation conducted in the country revealed transfers of more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal funds, some of which were allegedly laundered through cryptocurrencies.
Illegal Infrastructure Dismantled in Angola
In Angola, authorities dismantled two illegal cryptocurrency mining centers. Nine suspects were arrested, and more than 2,000 mining devices, along with six illegal electrical transformer stations, were seized. The value of the electrical infrastructure involved exceeds $1 million.
Other interventions led to the dismantling of a fraudulent mobile lending scheme in Tanzania, the disruption of a vehicle import fraud network in Gabon, and the arrest of 30 suspects in the Republic of the Congo.
19 African Countries Mobilized
Operation Serengeti III involved investigative services from 19 African countries: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The United States also participated in the operation.
To conduct the investigations, authorities benefited from intelligence and technical expertise provided by private-sector partners. This collaboration notably helped identify criminal infrastructure, support investigations, and facilitate the dismantling of networks.
Artificial Intelligence, a New Challenge
Beyond the arrests and seizures, INTERPOL highlights the rapid evolution of cyber threats in Africa. Its 2026 report on cyberthreat assessment across the continent notably points to the increasing use of artificial intelligence by cybercriminals and rising financial losses linked to their activities.
Several investigations remain ongoing to identify additional suspects and trace illicit financial flows. Co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe under the GLACY-e project, Operation Serengeti III illustrates the importance of international cooperation in combating criminal networks that extend far beyond national borders.
