Operation Serengeti 2.0, Africa’s biggest anti-cybercrime crackdown, led to 1,209 arrests, $97.4M recovered, and 88,000 victims protected. Discover how INTERPOL and African nations dismantled global fraud networks.
A Landmark Victory in the Fight Against Online Fraud
Africa has made history with Operation Serengeti 2.0, an INTERPOL-led cybercrime crackdown that has set a new benchmark for global law enforcement. From June to August 2025, the operation united 18 African countries and the UK to fight cybercriminal networks, online fraudsters, and crypto scammers at an unprecedented scale.
The outcome? 1,209 arrests, nearly $100 million recovered, and over 11,400 malicious infrastructures dismantled. Beyond the statistics, the operation proved Africa’s growing ability to counter digital threats with international coordination and cutting-edge intelligence.
What Is Operation Serengeti 2.0?
Operation Serengeti 2.0 was a large-scale, coordinated law enforcement campaign designed to strike at the heart of cyber-enabled crime across Africa and beyond. The operation specifically targeted a wide range of digital threats, including ransomware attacks, business email compromise (BEC), fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes, inheritance scams, and other online frauds that had been causing massive financial and social harm. As the second phase of a broader initiative, it built upon earlier successes and expanded its reach, making it one of the most comprehensive anti-cybercrime efforts on the continent.
Key Achievements That Made Headlines
Arrests and Confiscation: The operation’s results were nothing short of jaw-dropping. Over 1,200 cybercriminals were arrested across 18 countries, many of them masterminds behind global fraud networks. Authorities also confiscated an eye-watering $97.4 million in cash, crypto wallets, high-end cars, and IT equipment. Even more impressive, more than 11,400 malicious infrastructures—from phishing servers to scam websites—were dismantled. But the real victory? Nearly 88,000 victims were spared from ongoing scams, a number that shows just how widespread the threat had become.
Standout Stories From the Crackdown: Some of the cases read like crime-thriller plots. In Angola, police uncovered 25 illegal crypto mining centers worth $37 million, secretly draining electricity on a massive scale. In Zambia, a staggering $300 million investment scam duped over 65,000 people—and shockingly, investigators found ties to a human trafficking ring operating in parallel. Meanwhile, in Ivory Coast, a Germany-based fraudster who had been swindling Africans out of inheritance money was finally caught, with luxury cars, electronics, and cash seized in the takedown.
Why It Worked: The secret sauce behind Operation Serengeti 2.0 came down to three things: intelligence sharing between cybersecurity partners and law enforcement, cutting-edge training in areas like crypto tracing and ransomware analysis, and unprecedented cross-border teamwork. When 18 nations and the UK teamed up, cybercriminals had nowhere to hide.
Why It’s a Game Changer: This wasn’t just another police operation. It was a loud, clear message to fraudsters worldwide: Africa is no longer an easy target. With stronger collaboration, faster intelligence sharing, and a united front, the continent is rewriting the rules of cyber defense.
FAQs About Operation Serengeti 2.0
Q1. What was Operation Serengeti 2.0?
It was a major INTERPOL-led cybercrime crackdown across 18 African countries and the UK, targeting scams, ransomware, and crypto fraud.
Q2. How many arrests were made in Operation Serengeti 2.0?
Authorities arrested 1,209 suspects involved in online fraud and cyber-enabled crimes.
Q3. How much money was recovered during Operation Serengeti 2.0?
Nearly $97.4 million was recovered in cash, cryptocurrency, and luxury assets.
Q4. Why is Operation Serengeti 2.0 significant?
It demonstrated Africa’s growing ability to fight cybercrime through intelligence sharing, advanced training, and cross-border collaboration.
Q5. Who supported the operation?
Cybersecurity firms like Kaspersky, Fortinet, TRM Labs, and Group-IB played a major role in providing intelligence.
Q6. Is there any research text that can protect people from online fraud?
Yes, we have published a practical text that protects people from online fraud, The Scam Protector book by Adam Scott.
