Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, arrested over
1,000 individuals in Africa this month in connection to a widespread
cybercrime operation, the agency said.
The Cybercrime Operation
Operation Serengeti, a collaborative effort between Interpol and
Afripol, the African Union's police agency, spanned 19 African nations
from September 2 to October 31. The initiative targeted cybercriminals
involved in ransomware attacks, business email compromise schemes,
digital extortion and online scams, according to a statement from
Interpol.
In total, Interpol arrested 1,006 suspects during the operation.
"From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial
scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks
is of serious concern," Valdecy Urquiza, the Secretary General of
Interpol, said in the statement.
Interpol identified 35,000 victims connected to cases accounting for
nearly $193 million in global financial losses. The agency credited the
operation's success to the involvement of local police forces and
private sector partners, including internet service providers.
Interpol The Interpol logo is seen in France on November 8, 2018. On
November 26, 2024, Interpol announced the arrests of over 1,000
suspects following a cybercrime operation. AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani/AP
Photo/Laurent Cipriani
In a statement, Afripol's Executive Director, Jalel Chelba said,
"Through Serengeti, Afripol has significantly enhanced support for law
enforcement in African Union Member States."
Where the Arrests Were Made
In Kenya, authorities arrested nearly two dozen suspects connected to
an online credit card fraud operation that caused $8.6 million in
losses. In Senegal, law enforcement detained eight individuals,
including five Chinese nationals, in connection with a $6 million
online Ponzi scheme.
Afripol is now prioritizing emerging cyber threats, including AI-driven
malware and sophisticated attack methods, according to Chelba.
The operation also targeted a range of criminal networks, including a
group in Cameroon allegedly using a multi-level marketing scheme to
facilitate human trafficking, an international syndicate in Angola
operating an illegal virtual casino and a cryptocurrency investment
scam based in Nigeria, according to Interpol.
Similar Operations
The outcomes of Operation Serengeti represent a "drastic increase"
compared to previous anti-cybercrime efforts in Africa, Enrique
Hernandez Gonzalez, Interpol's Assistant Director of Cybercrime
Operations, told The Associated Press.
Over the past two years, Interpol's earlier cybercrime operations in
Africa resulted in just 25 arrests, underscoring the significant impact
of Operation Serengeti.
"Significant progress has been made, with participating countries
enhancing their ability to work with intelligence and produce
meaningful results," Gonzalez said.
Celebrating its centennial last year, Interpol facilitates
communication and coordination among its 196 member countries to track
suspects and combat crimes ranging from counterterrorism and financial
fraud to child exploitation, cybercrime and organized crime.
As the world's largest police organization, Interpol faces mounting
challenges, including a rising volume of cybercrime and child
exploitation cases, along with growing political divisions among its
196 member nations.
Last year, Interpol operated on a budget of approximately 176 million
euros ($188 million), significantly less than the over 200 million
euros allocated to Europol, the [1]European Union's police agency and
the roughly $11 billion budget of the [2]FBI in the United States.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
References
1.
https://www.newsweek.com/topic/european-union
2.
https://www.newsweek.com/topic/fbi
