Interpol arrested at least 1,462 people across Africa after a major cybercrime crackdown recovered $105 million in illicit funds, the agency said. The operation, named Serengeti III, ran between June 29 and Aug. 31 and involved law enforcement agencies from 21 countries, Interpol said. Investigators said the activity linked to the suspects led to more than $385 million in losses and resulted in the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks. Police identified nearly 66,000 victims of cybercriminal activities including online investment scams, ransomware, digital extortion and fraudulent business communications. In Uganda, police dismantled two international fraud operations and arrested 365 foreign nationals accused of targeting victims in Asia through investment and pension scams. Investigators said the suspects used call centers with prepared scripts, counterfeit investment websites and fraudulent trading platforms to persuade victims, including pensioners. In Angola, authorities shut down two illegal cryptocurrency mining facilities, arrested nine suspects and confiscated more than 2,000 mining devices. Police also seized six unauthorized electrical installations, with the power infrastructure valued at more than $1 million. In Nigeria, investigators arrested a suspect accused of running a phishing scheme that collected software login credentials and about 2.1 million email addresses. A separate Nigerian probe uncovered an international investment fraud operation promoted via messaging apps, with investigators tracing more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of it moved through cryptocurrency transactions. Authorities also disrupted fraudulent mobile lending operations in Tanzania, an online vehicle import scam in Gabon, and a cybercrime network in the Republic of Congo where 30 suspects were arrested. Interpol said intelligence sharing and cooperation with technology companies helped identify suspicious online infrastructure and trace activity across borders. It warned that criminals increasingly use artificial intelligence to build more sophisticated schemes. Several investigations remain underway as authorities pursue additional suspects and examine recovered digital evidence. Source: Anadolu Ajansı (22 October 2026).