Law enforcement agencies from 21 countries arrested 1,462 suspects, disrupted 10,909 malicious networks, and recovered more than $105 million in illicit funds during a two-month global operation targeting cybercrime syndicates across Africa that concluded on August 31, 2026.
Operation Serengeti III Targets Continental Cybercrime Syndicates
The multi-jurisdictional crackdown, codenamed Operation Serengeti III, ran from June 29 through August 31, 2026, according to announcements from INTERPOL. Investigators focused on digital extortion, ransomware attacks, business email compromise, online investment scams, and mobile loan fraud. Participating authorities identified 65,929 victims, with financial investigations linking the dismantled operations to losses exceeding $385 million.
The international effort involved law enforcement agencies across twenty African nations alongside the United States. Prior to the launch of the raids, investigators from twenty African countries and the United States were supplied with actionable intelligence regarding suspicious domains, IP addresses, and command-and-control infrastructure tied to criminal activity. Private-sector partners provided threat intelligence to help disrupt cybercriminal networks operating across the continent.
INTERPOL’s roster of participating African nations included Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, operating alongside the United States.
Our ability to see attacker infrastructure at internet scale gives defenders a fundamentally different starting point. Instead of waiting for an attack and then investigating the damage, we can help expose the networks behind criminal operations and can enable defensive actions. Operation Serengeti III demonstrates the real-world impact of putting that intelligence in the hands of law enforcement.
Jacomo Piccolini, vice president of Global Data Partnerships at Team Cymru
Uganda and Angola Dismantle Transnational Call Centers and Illegal Mining Rigs
In Uganda, police raided two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals. These suspects operated rotating call centers that used scripted communications, fake trading platforms, and fraudulent websites to deceive pensioners in Asia into investing in fictitious financial opportunities. Operations varied widely by country, targeting everything from hardware installations to fraudulent mobile applications.
🚨 Operation Serengeti III dismantles thousands of malicious cyber networksOne of Africa’s largest cybercrime enforcement operations has seen agencies from 21 countries:🔵 Arrest 1,462 suspects🔵 Disrupt 10,909 malicious networks🔵 Recover USD 105 million in illicit funds… pic.twitter.com/qtkofnnPEA
Meanwhile, in Angola, investigators shut down two illegal cryptocurrency mining facilities, arresting nine suspects and confiscating more than 2,000 cryptocurrency mining devices alongside six unauthorized power transformation stations. The seized electrical infrastructure alone was valued at more than $1 million.
Police also dismantled a malicious mobile loan application scheme in Tanzania, disrupted a social media vehicle import scam in Gabon, and apprehended 30 suspects in the Republic of Congo.
INTERPOL Releases Threat Report Amid Ongoing Artificial Intelligence Risks
The crackdown arrived alongside the release of INTERPOL’s African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026, which highlights how artificial intelligence is increasingly enabling cybercrime across the continent and driving up financial losses. Officials warned that criminal networks exploit borderless technology to scale their operations faster than traditional legal jurisdictions can respond. Building upon procedures set during the first two editions of Operation Serengeti, which led to a combined total of more than 2,000 arrests throughout 2024 and 2025, this final third phase forms a natural continuation.
Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders, exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale.
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s director of cybercrime
INTERPOL has not disclosed the specific identities of the Nigerian suspects, nor has the agency detailed the exact breakdown of victims or restitution for the individual investment scams. Local media reports noted uncertainty surrounding whether certain peripheral arrests in East Africa formed part of the official operation or separate domestic sweeps, and INTERPOL confirmed that multiple investigations remain active as digital evidence continues to be analyzed.
More on Operation Serengeti
INTERPOL announces 1,462 arrests in Africa-focused cybercrime crackdownOperation Serengeti III brought together 20 African countries and the United States against ransomware, BEC, online fraud and digital extortion.INTERPOL reports:* 10,909 malicious networks disrupted.*… pic.twitter.com/f27cBfKamR
🌐 INTERPOL Operation Serengeti III Dismantles 10,909 #Cybercrime Networks, Arrests 1,462 Suspects and Recovers 05 Million + Video-Fact Checker: ✅: 6 ❌: 0 || 6/6 → Score: 100% 🦾-Prediction: 📈 3 Positive | 📉 1 Negativehttps://t.co/iWWkIWfLyh
INTERPOL Arrests 1,462 Nigerian fra¥dsters, Disrupts 10,909 Malicious Networks, Recovers $105 Million In Cybercrime CrackdownThe International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has arrested 1,462 suspects, disrupted 10,909 malicious networks and recovered $105 million in… pic.twitter.com/7NVmeUuHdU