Blitz Bureau
INTERPOL has arrested 1,006 suspects in Africa during a twomonth cybercrime crackdown that left tens of thousands of victims, including human trafficking cases, and caused millions of dollars in financial losses, the global police organisation announced, according to a report published on africanews. com.
The operation, dubbed Operation Serengeti, was conducted in collaboration with Afripol, the African Union’s police agency, and took place from September 2 to October 31 across 19 African countries, said the report. The operation targeted criminals involved in ransomware, business email compromise schemes, digital extortion, and online fraud, Interpol stated in a press release.
“From pyramid schemes to largescale credit card fraud, the growing volume and sophistication of cyberattacks are deeply concerning,” said Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, according to the Africa News report.
Interpol identified 35,000 victims worldwide and reported losses of nearly $193 million. Local law enforcement agencies and private sector partners, including Internet service providers, played a pivotal role in the operation.
“With Serengeti, Afripol has significantly strengthened its support for law enforcement in African Union member states,” said Jalel Chelba, Afripol’s Executive Director, in the statement.
In Kenya, the police made nearly two dozen arrests related to an online credit card fraud scheme linked to losses of $8.6 million. In Senegal, eight people, including five Chinese nationals, were arrested for an online Ponzi scheme worth $6 million. Chelba noted that Afripol is now focusing on emerging threats such as AI-powered malware and advanced cyberattack techniques.
Other dismantled networks include a Cameroonian group suspected of using a pyramid scheme for human trafficking, an international criminal group in Angola running an illegal virtual casino, and a cryptocurrency investment scam in Nigeria, Interpol disclosed.
Interpol, which has 196 member countries and celebrated its centenary last year, assists national police forces in combating terrorism, financial crimes, child exploitation, cybercrime, and organized crime by facilitating communication and tracking suspects. Despite being the world’s largest police organisation, Interpol faces challenges such as increasing cybercrime cases, rising child abuse incidents, and growing divisions among member countries, said Africa News.
