Operation Serengeti III disrupts 10,909 malicious networks in Africa

Law enforcement agencies arrested 1,462 suspected cybercriminals and dismantled 10,909 malicious networks during Operation Serengeti III, an Interpol-coordinated crackdown across Africa. The operation ran from June 29 to August 31 and involved authorities in 21 countries, along with private-sector partners.

Investigators identified 65,929 victims and estimated financial losses at more than $385 million. Authorities recovered more than $105 million in illegal funds.

In Uganda, police arrested 365 people suspected of links to online investment and pension fraud rings. In Angola, authorities arrested nine suspects at illegal cryptocurrency mining centers and seized more than 2,000 mining devices. In Nigeria, one person was arrested on suspicion of running a phishing and business email compromise operation that collected software credentials and about 2.1 million email addresses.

Interpol said the operation also affected malicious mobile lending apps, fraudulent vehicle imports and cryptocurrency investment scams. Private cybersecurity firms, including Team Cymru, Kaspersky, Group-IB and Fortinet, provided intelligence and technical support to help investigators map criminal networks and identify suspects.

The first Operation Serengeti, held in 19 African countries in September and October 2024, resulted in 1,006 arrests and the recovery of about $44 million. Operation Serengeti 2.0, conducted from June to August 2025, resulted in 1,209 arrests and the seizure of $97.4 million.