Kenya joins INTERPOL cybercrime operation that nets 1,462 arrests

Kenya has joined 20 other countries in a major INTERPOL-coordinated cybercrime operation that resulted in 1,462 arrests, the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks and the recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.

The operation, dubbed Serengeti III, ran from June 29 to August 31, 2026, targeting cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, online scams and digital extortion across Africa.

In a statement issued on Thursday, October 22, INTERPOL said investigators identified 65,929 victims targeted by cybercriminal networks, while financial investigations linked the criminal activities to losses exceeding $385 million.

Kenya was among the participating countries, alongside Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana and Zambia, among others. The United States also participated.

However, INTERPOL did not provide a breakdown of arrests, disrupted networks, victims or recovered funds specifically attributable to Kenya.

The international police organisation said the operation brought together law enforcement agencies to investigate cybercriminal networks operating across national borders, with private-sector partners providing intelligence, technical analysis and operational support.

INTERPOL Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton said the operation demonstrated the importance of countries working together to tackle increasingly sophisticated online criminal activity.

“Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders, exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale,” Jetton said.

“Operation Serengeti III reinforces a clear message: while cybercrime is increasingly borderless, international cooperation remains one of the most effective tools for disrupting criminal networks, recovering criminal assets and protecting communities from digital harm.”

The operation uncovered several schemes involving online investment fraud, cryptocurrency infrastructure, phishing and the theft of digital credentials.

In Uganda, authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals linked to online investment and pension fraud targeting victims across Asia.

Investigators found that the schemes used call centres, scripted communications, fraudulent websites and fake trading platforms to persuade victims, including pensioners, to invest in non-existent opportunities.

In Angola, authorities dismantled two illegal cryptocurrency mining centres, arrested nine suspects and seized more than 2,000 mining devices. Investigators also confiscated six illegal power transformation stations, with the electrical infrastructure valued at more than $1 million.

Nigeria was another focus of the operation. Authorities arrested a suspect linked to a large-scale phishing and business email compromise scheme that collected software credentials and accumulated approximately 2.1 million email addresses.

A separate Nigerian investigation targeted an international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging applications. Investigators traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of which was allegedly laundered through cryptocurrency transactions.

Elsewhere, authorities dismantled a malicious mobile loan application scheme in Tanzania, disrupted a social media-based vehicle import fraud network in Gabon and arrested 30 suspects linked to a cybercrime operation in the Republic of Congo.

INTERPOL said the crackdown comes amid a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, with its African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026 highlighting the growing role of artificial intelligence in enabling criminal activity and the continued rise of cyber-enabled financial losses.

Before the operation, investigators from 20 African countries and the United States received intelligence on suspicious internet domains, IP addresses and command-and-control infrastructure linked to suspected criminal activity.

The organisation said investigations remain active, with authorities continuing to identify suspects, trace illicit funds and analyse digital evidence recovered during the operation.

Kenya’s participation places the country among the law enforcement agencies involved in the multinational effort, although the announcement did not detail the specific operations undertaken by Kenyan authorities.