The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has announced the arrest of 1,462 suspects in a major international crackdown on cybercrime across Africa, with authorities disrupting more than 10,900 malicious networks and recovering over $105 million in illicit funds.
The operation, known as Operation Serengeti III, involved law-enforcement agencies from 20 African countries and the United States. Conducted between June 29 and August 31, 2026, it targeted cyber-enabled fraud, online investment scams, ransomware, business email compromise, digital extortion and other forms of technology-assisted crime.
According to INTERPOL’s announcement on October 22, investigators identified 65,929 victims targeted by cybercriminal networks. Financial investigations linked the criminal activities uncovered during the operation to losses exceeding $385 million.
The results highlight the growing scale of online fraud and the importance of cooperation between countries as criminals use digital platforms, sophisticated deception and cross-border financial transactions to target victims.
Nigeria Records Arrests in Two Major Fraud Investigations
Nigeria was among the countries involved in the operation, with authorities making arrests in two separate investigations into alleged cybercrime and financial fraud.
In the first case, investigators arrested a suspect allegedly connected to a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation. The network reportedly harvested software login credentials and accumulated approximately 2.1 million email addresses.
Phishing involves deceptive messages, emails or websites designed to trick people into disclosing sensitive information, including passwords and banking details. Business email compromise, meanwhile, occurs when criminals impersonate trusted business contacts or compromise email accounts to manipulate victims into transferring money or revealing confidential information.
These methods can expose individuals and organisations to financial losses, identity theft and unauthorised access to digital systems.
Investigators also recovered a luxury vehicle suspected of having been purchased with criminal proceeds. Authorities did not publicly identify the suspect in INTERPOL’s announcement.
In a separate Nigerian investigation, law-enforcement authorities arrested another suspect over an alleged international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging applications.
Financial investigations reportedly traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds connected to the scheme, with a significant portion allegedly moved through cryptocurrency transactions.
The cases illustrate how fraud investigations increasingly require investigators to examine digital communications, email accounts, online platforms and financial movements across different jurisdictions.
However, an arrest does not itself establish guilt. The allegations must be assessed through the appropriate legal process.
Uganda: 365 Foreign Nationals Arrested
One of the operation’s most significant developments occurred in Uganda, where authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals allegedly linked to sophisticated online investment and pension fraud schemes.
According to INTERPOL, the schemes targeted victims in Asian countries, including pensioners who were persuaded to invest money in opportunities that did not exist.
Investigators uncovered a rotating call-centre model in which operators used scripted conversations, fraudulent websites and fake trading platforms to convince potential victims that they were dealing with legitimate investment businesses.
Such schemes often rely on carefully constructed websites and fabricated account balances to create the appearance of successful investments. Victims may initially be encouraged to invest small amounts before being persuaded to transfer larger sums.
In some cases, fraudulent platforms display fictional profits to persuade users to continue investing. When victims eventually attempt to withdraw their money, they may encounter additional demands for fees or find that their accounts have been blocked.
The arrests in Uganda demonstrate how organised fraud networks can operate from one country while targeting victims thousands of kilometres away.
INTERPOL’s announcement did not mean that every person arrested had been convicted of fraud. The allegations against individual suspects remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
Angola: Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining Centres Dismantled
Authorities in Angola dismantled two illegal cryptocurrency mining centres during the operation, arresting nine suspects and seizing more than 2,000 cryptocurrency mining devices.
Investigators also seized six illegal power-transformation stations. INTERPOL valued the seized electrical infrastructure alone at more than $1 million.
Cryptocurrency mining involves using computing equipment to validate transactions or perform other blockchain-related calculations in return for digital assets. Although mining can be a legitimate activity, authorities may investigate operations involving unlawful electricity connections, unauthorised infrastructure or other suspected offences.
In this case, the operation focused on illegal mining facilities and associated infrastructure. The announcement did not establish that cryptocurrency mining itself is illegal in every participating country.
The Angolan case also illustrates why cybercrime investigations can extend beyond computers and online accounts to physical equipment, electricity infrastructure and assets potentially linked to suspected criminal activity.
Other Countries Also Targeted Online Fraud Networks
The crackdown extended beyond Nigeria, Uganda and Angola.
In Tanzania, authorities dismantled a scheme involving a malicious mobile loan application. Fraudulent or abusive loan applications can expose users to hidden charges, deceptive lending terms, misuse of personal information or aggressive collection practices.
In Gabon, investigators disrupted a social-media-based vehicle import fraud network. Such schemes may exploit people searching online for imported vehicles by advertising attractive deals and requesting advance payments before the promised vehicle is delivered.
In the Republic of Congo, authorities arrested 30 suspects linked to a cybercrime operation.
Together, these cases demonstrate the variety of methods used by criminal networks, from investment fraud and phishing to deceptive lending applications and online vehicle transactions.
The participating countries were 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. The United States also participated.
More Than $385 Million in Losses Identified
INTERPOL reported that investigators identified 65,929 victims targeted by the criminal networks and linked the activities under investigation to financial losses exceeding $385 million.
Authorities recovered more than $105 million in illicit funds during the operation.
These figures represent different measures. The reported losses are the amounts linked to the criminal activities uncovered by investigators, while the recovered funds refer to money authorities reported recovering. The figures should not be interpreted as meaning that every victim has received compensation or that all losses have been recovered.
The agency also reported disrupting 10,909 malicious networks. These included digital infrastructure and systems associated with criminal activity, such as suspicious domains, internet protocol addresses and command-and-control infrastructure used to manage or support malicious operations.
Before the operation, investigators from participating countries received actionable intelligence about suspicious digital infrastructure linked to suspected criminal networks. Private-sector partners supplied technical analysis, intelligence and operational expertise to support investigations and help authorities identify targets.
INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, Neal Jetton, emphasised that criminal networks increasingly exploit technology to operate across national borders. He said international cooperation remains an important tool for disrupting such networks, recovering criminal assets and protecting communities from digital harm.
Artificial Intelligence Adds to Cybercrime Concerns
The crackdown comes amid growing concern about the changing cybercrime landscape in Africa.
INTERPOL’s 2026 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report highlights the increasing use of artificial intelligence by cybercriminals and the continuing financial harm associated with cyber-enabled crime.
Artificial intelligence can be abused to produce convincing phishing messages, impersonate people, generate deceptive online content and automate parts of fraudulent campaigns. Such tools may allow criminals to reach more potential victims while making suspicious communications more difficult to identify.
However, AI is not required for many successful scams. Basic impersonation, fake investment promises, compromised email accounts and social engineering continue to expose people to substantial risks.
For businesses, a fraudulent email that appears to come from a supplier or senior executive can trigger an unauthorised transfer. For individuals, a fake investment opportunity promoted through social media or messaging applications can result in the loss of savings.
The threat is therefore not limited to technology experts or large companies. Anyone who uses email, mobile banking, social media or online marketplaces can become a target.
INTERPOL Says Investigations Are Continuing
Although Operation Serengeti III has produced substantial enforcement results, INTERPOL said several investigations remain active.
Authorities are continuing efforts to identify additional suspects, trace suspected criminal proceeds and analyse digital evidence seized during the operation.
The operation received support from private-sector partners, including cybersecurity and threat-intelligence organisations. It was also co-funded through the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe.
The results add to a series of international efforts to tackle online fraud across the continent. In February 2026, INTERPOL announced that Operation Red Card 2.0 had resulted in 651 arrests across 16 African countries, with more than $4.3 million recovered. That earlier operation focused on high-yield investment scams, mobile-money fraud and fraudulent mobile loan applications.
The two operations were conducted at different times and targeted different sets of investigations, so their figures should not be combined as if they represented one operation.
How People Can Protect Themselves From Online Scams
The latest arrests also provide a reminder that prevention remains essential, even as law-enforcement agencies pursue criminal networks.
Members of the public should be cautious about investment offers promising guaranteed or unusually high returns, particularly when strangers approach them through messaging applications or social media.
People should independently verify the identity of financial advisers, investment platforms, suppliers and business contacts before sending money. They should avoid clicking suspicious links, sharing passwords or one-time verification codes, and opening unexpected attachments.
Businesses can reduce their exposure to email fraud by enabling multifactor authentication, confirming changes to supplier bank details through a separate trusted communication channel and training staff to recognise impersonation attempts.
Anyone who suspects they have been scammed should contact their bank or payment provider immediately, preserve messages and transaction records, secure compromised accounts and report the matter to the appropriate law-enforcement agency.
INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti III has exposed the scale and diversity of cybercrime investigations across Africa, with 1,462 arrests, 10,909 disrupted malicious networks and more than $105 million in illicit funds recovered.
Nigeria’s two separate fraud investigations, the arrests in Uganda, the illegal cryptocurrency mining facilities uncovered in Angola and other cases across the continent show how criminal activity can cross borders and affect victims far from where a scheme is operated.
While the operation represents a significant enforcement effort, investigations are continuing and the full legal outcomes of the cases remain to be determined.
For the public, the message is clear: verify before transferring money, protect digital accounts and report suspected fraud quickly. For law-enforcement agencies, continued cooperation and intelligence-sharing will remain important in confronting criminal networks that exploit the connected nature of the modern economy.
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