Kaspersky and Interpol Dismantle Cybercrime Networks in Africa
A joint international operation resulted in the arrest of 1,462 individuals and the recovery of $105 million.
Translated by Qiyas from الوسط — Original source
Operation Serengeti III, led by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in partnership with Kaspersky and international partners, resulted in the arrest of 1,462 suspects and the recovery of $105 million, alongside the disruption of 11,000 malicious networks involved in cybercrime.
The operation was carried out from June 29 to August 31, 2026, with investigators from 20 African countries and the United States participating. It targeted a wide range of cybercrimes, including cyber fraud, ransomware attacks, business email compromise, cyber extortion, and digital fraud.
According to operation data, approximately 66,000 victims were targeted by criminal cyber networks, with estimated financial losses from their activities reaching $385 million.
Threat intelligence data and technical analysis provided by Kaspersky’s Threat Research Team supported law enforcement efforts by supplying information on the network infrastructure used in botnet and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, as well as data related to phishing and malicious sites targeting users in Africa.
Neil Gaiton, Director of Cybercrime at INTERPOL, stated that the operation underscores the importance of international cooperation in dismantling criminal networks, recovering stolen assets, and protecting communities from digital harm, noting that these crimes transcend geographical boundaries and exploit technology to target victims on a large scale.
For her part, Yulia Slischkova, Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Kaspersky, emphasized that the cross-border nature of cybercrime makes combating it a shared responsibility, highlighting the company’s ongoing collaboration with international partners and the exchange of information and expertise regarding cyber threats.
Among the operation’s key outcomes were the dismantling of two cross-border fraud networks in Uganda and the arrest of 365 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in online fraud related to investments and pensions, which targeted victims in Asia.
