Interpol-Led Operation Leads to Arrests of More Than 1,200 Suspected Cybercriminals in Africa

In Angola, 25 crypto mining centers manned by 60 Chinese nationals were among the malicious infrastructures dismantled, Interpol stated.

The entrance of the International Criminal Police Organization headquarters, known as Interpol, in Lyon, France, on Sept. 5, 2023. Olivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty Images

A sweeping intergovernmental operation coordinated by Interpol has resulted in the arrests of 1,209 alleged cybercriminals across Africa and the takedown of 11,432 malicious infrastructures, the agency announced on Aug. 22.

Investigators from 18 African countries and the UK took part in the crackdown, dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0, that lasted from June to August. Authorities tackled cybercrimes, including ransomware, online scams, business email compromise, and inheritance scams, recovering $97.4 million.