INTERPOL Bust on African Cybercrime: 1,006 Arrests, 134,089 Malicious Networks Dismantled

In a remarkable crackdown on cybercrime, INTERPOL has orchestrated an extensive operation resulting in the arrest of 1,006 suspects from 19 African nations and the dismantling of 134,089 malicious networks. This coordinated effort, named Operation Serengeti, unfolded between September 2 and October 31, 2024, focusing on major cyber threats such as ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and online scams.

Participating Countries

The multinational operation spanned Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Impact

Cybercriminal activities targeted more than 35,000 victims, resulting in global financial losses approaching $193 million. These included credit card fraud, Ponzi schemes, and investment scams.

Senegal Ponzi Scheme

Authorities apprehended eight individuals, including five Chinese nationals involved in a $6 million online Ponzi scheme. Searches revealed 900 SIM cards, $11,000 in cash, electronic devices, and numerous IDs of 1,811 victims.

Virtual Casino Dismantled

A fraudulent virtual casino in Luanda, aimed at scamming Brazilian and Nigerian gamblers, was shut down. The operation lured victims through the promise of rewards for recruiting new participants.

Operation Insights and Future Plans

Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL's Secretary General, highlighted the significant achievements of Operation Serengeti, stating, "From multi-level marketing scams to large-scale credit card fraud, the rising sophistication of cybercrime is alarming. This operation demonstrates the power of collaboration in preventing future victimization and financial losses."

Private Sector Collaboration

As a key partner, Group-IB uncovered 10,000 DDoS attacks from Africa-based servers over the past year and identified over 3,000 phishing domains, along with data leaked on dark web forums.

Kaspersky’s Role

The cybersecurity firm assisted by sharing critical information on regional threat actors, ransomware activities, and indicators of compromise for malicious infrastructure in Africa. Operation Serengeti underscores the critical need for global cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, promising ongoing efforts to dismantle these sophisticated criminal networks.