In a significant blow to cybercrime syndicates, police from 21 countries have arrested 1,462 suspects and recovered over $105 million in a coordinated crackdown across Africa. The operation, led by INTERPOL, was conducted between June 29 and August 31, 2026, and targeted online fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, scams, and digital extortion. The operation, dubbed Operation Serengeti III, involved 20 African countries and the United States.
The operation disrupted 10,909 malicious networks and identified 65,929 victims of online crimes. Financial investigations linked the criminal activity to losses of over $385 million. Authorities dismantled call centers, crypto mines, and phishing rings across the continent. The operation was supported by private-sector partners who supplied technical analysis and operational expertise to help map criminal networks.
In Uganda, authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals. The syndicates ran online investment and pension scams aimed at victims across Asia. Investigators uncovered a rotating call-center model that used scripted conversations, fake trading platforms, and fraudulent websites to persuade pensioners to invest in non-existent opportunities.
In Angola, police shut down two illegal cryptocurrency mining centers, arrested nine suspects, and seized over 2,000 mining devices and six illegal power transformation stations. The electrical infrastructure alone was valued at over $1 million. In Nigeria, a suspect was arrested over a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation that harvested software credentials and amassed about 2.1 million email addresses.
A luxury vehicle suspected to have been bought with criminal proceeds was recovered in Nigeria. In a separate case, a suspect was arrested over an international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging apps. Investigators traced over $2.4 million in suspected proceeds, much of it laundered through cryptocurrency. Authorities also dismantled a malicious mobile loan application scheme in Tanzania and disrupted a social media-based vehicle import fraud network in Gabon.
The crackdown comes as INTERPOL's African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026 warns of a fast-evolving threat landscape. Artificial intelligence is increasingly enabling cybercrime across the continent, and cyber-enabled financial losses continue to rise. INTERPOL's Director of Cybercrime, Neal Jetton, emphasized that international cooperation remains one of the most effective tools for disrupting networks and recovering criminal assets.
Several investigations remain active, with authorities still identifying further suspects, tracing illicit proceeds, and analyzing digital evidence seized during the operation. The operation was supported by several private-sector partners and co-funded by the EU–Council of Europe GLACY-e project. The results of the operation demonstrate the importance of international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime.
Key points
- 1,462 suspects arrested in a coordinated cybercrime crackdown across Africa.
- Over $105 million recovered in the operation.
- Artificial intelligence increasingly enabling cybercrime across the continent.
