Operation Serengeti III Disrupts Nearly 11,000 Cybercrime Networks in Africa
Summary
Interpol says Operation Serengeti III involved authorities in 21 countries, leading to 1,462 arrests, 10,909 networks dismantled, 65,929 victims identified, and more than $105 million recovered.
Key points
- The operation ran from June 29 to August 31 and targeted business email compromise, ransomware, and online scams.
- Interpol reported 1,462 suspected cybercriminal arrests and the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks.
- Investigators identified 65,929 victims and estimated losses above $385 million.
- Authorities recovered more than $105 million in illegal funds.
- In Uganda, authorities arrested 365 people suspected of links to online investment and pension fraud rings.
- In Angola, authorities arrested nine suspects and seized more than 2,000 cryptocurrency-mining devices; in Nigeria, one suspect was arrested over a phishing and business email compromise operation.
- Private cybersecurity firms supported the operation with intelligence and technical expertise, including information on suspicious domains, IP addresses, and C2 infrastructure.
Article Details
- Event Type
- International law-enforcement operation disrupting cybercrime networks and arresting suspected cybercriminals.
- Impact
- Operation Serengeti III resulted in 1,462 arrests, the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks, and the identification of 65,929 victims. Investigators estimated financial losses at more than $385 million and recovered more than $105 million in illegal funds. The operation targeted business email compromise, ransomware, and online scams.
People
Vendors
FortinetCoordinated by Interpol, the operation involved authorities from 21 countries and private partners like Team Cymru, Kaspersky, Group-IB, and Fortinet, in a major crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.Group-IBCoordinated by Interpol, the operation involved authorities from 21 countries and private partners like Team Cymru, Kaspersky, Group-IB, and Fortinet, in a major crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.KasperskyCoordinated by Interpol, the operation involved authorities from 21 countries and private partners like Team Cymru, Kaspersky, Group-IB, and Fortinet, in a major crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.Team CymruCoordinated by Interpol, the operation involved authorities from 21 countries and private partners like Team Cymru, Kaspersky, Group-IB, and Fortinet, in a major crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.
Countries
AngolaAnother highlight of the operation are illegal cryptocurrency mining centers in Angola, where nine suspects have been arrested, and more than 2,000 mining devices have been seized.NigeriaAuthorities also arrested one individual in Nigeria, suspected of running "a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation that harvested software credentials and amassed approximately 2.1 million emailUgandaIn Uganda, law enforcement dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 individuals for suspected links to online investment and pension fraud operations.