Interpol has announced the successful conclusion of Operation Serengeti, a two-month initiative aimed at combating cybercrime across Africa. The operation, which took place from September 2 to October 31, led to the arrest of 1,006 suspects and uncovered tens of thousands of victims, including individuals trafficked through multi-level marketing scams. The operation targeted various cybercrime activities, including ransomware, business email compromise, digital extortion, and online fraud in 19 African countries.
Operation Serengeti, in collaboration with Afripol, the African Union’s police agency, resulted in the identification of 35,000 victims and nearly $193 million in financial losses worldwide. Interpol’s Secretary General, Valdecy Urquiza, expressed concern over the growing sophistication of cybercrime attacks, ranging from large-scale credit card fraud to human trafficking through online scams.
Notable operations included the dismantling of a human trafficking ring in Cameroon, an illegal virtual casino operation in Angola, and a cryptocurrency scam in Nigeria. The operation highlights the increasing complexity of cybercrime and the need for enhanced international cooperation to address emerging threats, such as AI-driven malware.
Afripol’s Executive Director, Jalel Chelba, emphasized the agency’s expanding role in supporting law enforcement across African Union Member States, focusing on cutting-edge cyber threats. Interpol, which operates in 196 countries, continues to face challenges related to growing cybercrime and child exploitation cases despite limited funding compared to other global law enforcement agencies.
