Interpol Arrests Over 1,000 Suspected Cybercriminals in 19 African Countries Including Ghana

• Interpol has arrested over 1,000 suspected cybercriminals in 19 African countries, including Ghana
• The joint operation with Afripol, Operation Serengeti, was effected between September and October 2024
• It targeted those who steal money using ransomware, scams, phishing schemes, and other means

Interpol has announced that over 1,000 suspected cybercriminals have been arrested in 19 African countries between September and October 2024.

The arrests were reportedly conducted under Operation Serengeti, led by Interpol and Afripol - the African Union’s policing organisation.

The operation specifically targeted suspected cybercriminals who use ransomware, online scams, phishing schemes, and digital extortion to steal people's money.

In a press release on Tuesday, November 26, Interpol noted that it had identified more than 35,000 victims of cybercrime, which amounted to nearly $193 million in financial losses worldwide.

The 2024 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report identified cybercrimes as a prominent threat to the global economy, which culminated in the raids on September 2 to October 31, 2024.

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Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Ghana were among the countries involved in the operation.

Others were Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia,and Zimbabwe.

Private sector partners, including internet service providers, also supported the operation by sharing intelligence, providing support analysis, and disrupting criminal activities.

The Secretary General of Interpol, Valdecy Urquiza, noted that the operation was warranted due to the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime activities on the continent and globally.

She said the arrests were significant evidence of the need for more collaboration to tackle the crime she described as developing into an industrial scale across the globe.

Meanwhile, Afripol’s Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, noted that the operation has enhanced support for law enforcement in AU member states.

The Ambassador added that the organisation’s focus now is on emerging cyber threats, including AI-driven malware and other advanced attack techniques.

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Operation Serengeti was funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Council of Europe.

Ghanaian man jailed for romance scam

YEN.com.gh also reported that a 34-year-old Ghanaian national in the United States of America, Wigbert Bandie, is facing a prison term of over five years for allegedly orchestrating a $2 million romance scam.

According to news reports, his scam targeted elderly victims. In a US federal court, the prosecution stated he used online dating sites and social media to deceive victims and defraud them of their money.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh