Over 1,000 Cyber Criminals Arrested in Major Interpol-Led Law Enforcement Operation

Law enforcement agencies from 18 African nations and the United Kingdom recently participated in Operation Serengeti 2.0, which was led by Interpol. This operation, conducted between June and August, resulted in the arrest of 1,209 cyber criminals and the disruption of 11,432 malicious infrastructures. Additionally, authorities recovered US$97.4 million during the operation. Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of Interpol, highlighted the importance of these coordinated efforts, stating that each operation builds on the last, enhancing cooperation, information sharing, and investigative skills among member countries.

During Operation Serengeti 2.0, Angolan authorities dismantled 25 cryptocurrency mining centres that were illegally validating blockchain transactions. In Zambia, officials took down a large-scale investment fraud scheme, while law enforcement in Côte d’Ivoire disrupted a transnational inheritance scam that had defrauded victims of US$1.6 million. This operation was part of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime, which is funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Several private sector partners, including Fortinet, were also involved in this significant cyber crackdown. 

Categories: Cyber Crime Operations, International Law Enforcement Collaboration, Financial Fraud Disruption 

Tags: Operation, Cyber, Criminals, Infrastructures, Recovery, Authorities, Fraud, Scam, Cooperation, Development