INTERPOL has recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against cybercrime across Africa after a coordinated operation led to hundreds of arrests and the recovery of millions of dollars.
The operation, carried out across 19 African countries, targeted criminal networks involved in online fraud, ransomware attacks, digital extortion and business email compromise schemes. Authorities arrested 574 suspects believed to be linked to organised cybercrime syndicates operating across borders.
Investigators also dismantled thousands of malicious online infrastructures used to scam individuals and businesses. More than 6,000 fraudulent links and servers were taken offline, significantly disrupting criminal activities.
During the operation, law enforcement agencies recovered an estimated three million dollars in stolen funds and successfully decrypted multiple ransomware variants used to lock victims out of their data.
In Senegal, security agencies prevented a large-scale fraud attempt involving a petroleum company after criminals tried to trick the firm into transferring nearly eight million dollars. The transaction was frozen before the money could be moved.
Benin recorded over 100 arrests, with authorities shutting down thousands of fake social media accounts and disabling dozens of malicious websites used for online extortion and scams.
Ghana also played a key role in the operation. Cybercrime units helped stop a ransomware attack on a local financial institution that had encrypted large volumes of data. Ghanaian experts developed tools to restore affected systems and dismantled a cross-border fraud ring operating between Ghana and Nigeria.
The syndicate had created fake fast-food delivery websites to steal money from unsuspecting victims, defrauding them of more than 400,000 dollars before being shut down.
INTERPOL officials say the success of the operation highlights the growing cooperation among African law enforcement agencies in tackling digital crime, which continues to evolve in scale and sophistication.
They warned that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting technology and weak security systems, stressing the need for sustained collaboration, intelligence sharing and capacity building across the continent.
Authorities say the operation has dealt a significant blow to organised cybercrime networks and sends a strong message that digital criminals will be pursued and held accountable, regardless of borders.