rewrite this title Interpol arrests 1,200 people, seizes over $100M in crypto busts across multiple African countries

Authorities across Africa arrested more than 1,200 suspects and seized nearly $100 million in a sweeping cybercrime operation that dismantled online fraud networks and illegal crypto mining operations, INTERPOL announced on Aug. 22.

The three-month crackdown, known as Operation Serengeti 2.0, targeted nearly 88,000 victims across 18 African nations in collaboration with the UK.

Investigators uncovered 11,432 malicious infrastructures tied to ransomware, business email compromise schemes, and online investment fraud.

Major seizures and arrests

In Angola, police shut down 25 crypto mining centers operated by 60 Chinese nationals who were illegally validating blockchain transactions. Authorities also confiscated 45 illicit power stations used to fuel the operation, as well as mining and IT equipment valued at more than $37 million.

Officials said the seized power assets will be redirected to bolster the electricity supply in vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, Zambian authorities dismantled one of the region’s largest online investment fraud schemes, where scammers persuaded more than 65,000 people to invest in crypto platforms with promises of high returns.

Losses were estimated at $300 million. Police arrested 15 suspects, seized forged documents, and shut down bank accounts tied to the scheme.

In a separate raid, officers and immigration officials disrupted a human trafficking ring and confiscated 372 counterfeit passports.

Meanwhile, in Côte d’Ivoire, investigators dismantled a transnational inheritance scam traced back to Germany. Victims were tricked into paying upfront fees to claim fabricated estates. Authorities arrested the lead suspect and seized cash, electronics, vehicles and jewelry, estimating losses at $1.6 million.

Training, prevention and international support

The crackdown followed months of intelligence sharing between INTERPOL and private-sector partners, who provided data on suspicious domains, IP addresses, and command-and-control servers.

Ahead of the operation, officers underwent training workshops on crypto tracking, open-source intelligence, and ransomware analysis. INTERPOL officials said the operation reflects a growing global push to tackle cybercrime through coordinated enforcement and prevention.

A new partnership with the International Cyber Offender Prevention Network, involving 36 countries, aims to identify threats before they escalate into criminal activity.

Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the effort brought together operational partners including Group-IB, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Fortinet.

Authorities said more investigations are underway, particularly into the international financial and criminal networks behind the fraud schemes.