Key Takeaways
- Interpol Operation Serengeti 2.0 led to 1,209 arrests and 11,432 harmful infrastructure shutdowns across Africa.
- Authorities also identified 88,000 victims of ransomware, fraud schemes, and crypto frauds, and recovered $97.4 million.
- Zambian investigators uncovered a $300 million investment fraud while 24 illicit crypto mining operations were busted in Angola.
- Private companies like TRM Labs provide blockchain intelligence to pinpoint ransomware organizations and crypto laundering routes.
Table of Contents
Global Cooperation Brought to Bear – The Borderless Cybercrime Bust.
Interpol Operation Serengeti 2.0 is an incredible achievement of international collaboration aimed at disrupting African cybercrime groups and has been exceptionally successful.
During the period between June and August 2025, the police in 18 African countries and the UK arrested 1209 suspects, confiscated almost $100 million, and put a spotlight on schemes affecting around 88,000 victims.
The operation uncovered a wide spectrum of cybercrime, from ransomware group activity to crypto investment fraud. This is a fantastic demonstration of united action by law enforcement agencies, which, by working together, eliminated geographical limitations in disrupting the world of online crime.
Thriller-like Highlights
- In Angola, police seized 25 illicit crypto mines operated by Chinese nationals and confiscated equipment worth $37 million while diverting electricity that was being stolen from the community to support a community suffering from food insecurity.
- In Zambia, a $300 million crypto scam led to an investigation of 65,000 victims fed into a fraud that promised they would get rich but vanished with their money. Also, Lukasa’s Immigration Department busted a human trafficking net with seven different countries’ passports in their hands.
- In Côte d’Ivoire, authorities arrested the ringleader of a German inheritance scam after extensive community consultation and collaboration with international partners to eliminate this scam that also impacted many thousands.
How Crypto Supercharged the Crimes – and the Crackdown
Cybercriminals exploited the anonymity of crypto and expanded their operations even faster and larger, but it also became their Achilles’ heel. Private partners like TRM Labs provided blockchain tracing tools that allowed investigators to follow the money across borders. With this intelligence, Interpol was able to locate ransomware affiliates in Ghana and Seychelles tied to groups like Bl00dy (from the Conti ransomware family) and RansomHub.
This Interpol operation also helps demonstrate the cybercrime crisis growing in Africa, where 30% of all reported crimes in West and East Africa are cyber-related. However, Serengeti 2.0 shows that collaboration can make a difference. So far, the global cooperation of this network seems to be stronger than before and is delivering tangible outcomes.
According to Interpol data, online scams like phishing, data leaks, compromised emails, identity theft, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are the most common types of cyberthreats.
Final Thought: While crypto enables cybercrime, it also leaves a trace, one that Interpol is learning to follow faster than ever.Â
FAQs
What was the Interpol Operation Serengeti 2.0?
It refers to a three-month Interpol-led crackdown on cybercrime across 18 African countries, resulting in more than 1,200 arrests.
How did crypto play a role?
Crypto mines powered scams, while blockchain tracing helped investigators dismantle criminal networks.
Which countries were involved in this Interpol operation?
Angola, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and 15 others, with support from the UK.
Will this reduce cybercrime long-term?
Yes, the operation disrupted infrastructure and funding, but sustained collaboration and compromise are key.
For more crypto crime stories, read: Crypto Social Engineering Scam Costs Victim $91M in 783 Bitcoin Heist
