A major cybercrime crackdown, led by INTERPOL and spanning 18 African countries, has resulted in over 1,200 arrests and the seizure of nearly $100 million in assets.
The three-month-long operation, dubbed “Serengeti 2.0,” targeted online fraud, ransomware, and crypto-related crime, identifying almost 88,000 victims.
Authorities dismantled illicit crypto mining operations in Angola, a major investment fraud scheme in Zambia that defrauded over 65,000 victims, and a transnational inheritance scam in Côte d’Ivoire.
Angola has officially banned cryptocurrency mining, citing the activity as a primary cause of the country’s ongoing energy shortage. The law, which came into effect in April 2024, makes mining and the possession of related equipment illegal, with potential penalties of one to five years in prison.
The move has been supported by the Chinese embassy, which issued a notice warning its nationals about the new law. The ban highlights a global trend of governments, including those in Russia and New York, regulating or prohibiting crypto mining to prioritize energy resources for their citizens.
The successful effort was supported by intelligence sharing with private-sector cybersecurity firms and specialized training for officers in crypto tracking and open-source intelligence.
INTERPOL has highlighted the operation as a major step forward in the global fight against cybercrime and announced a new partnership to focus on prevention.
Image Credit: Pixabay
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