Crypto Crime Network in Africa-Interpol Recovered $100 Million and Makes 1,209 Arrest

Key Inisghts

• In a coordinated operation, Interpol uncovered a well connected crypto crime network in Africa .

• Interpol recovered $100 million and arrested 1,209 individuals though operation Serengeti 2.0

Interpol has carried out one of its largest cybercrime crackdowns to date, coordinating a sweeping operation across 18 African nations and the United Kingdom that resulted in 1,209 arrests and nearly $100 million recovered.

The operation, dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0, ran from June through August and targeted a surge in online scams, crypto fraud, and illegal mining activities. Investigators say the crackdown not only disrupted active criminal groups but also dismantled the technological backbone that enabled them to thrive. More than 11,400 malicious digital infrastructures were taken offline in the process.

Crypto Crime Network in Africa

One of the most striking discoveries came from Zambia, where authorities dismantled a massive online investment fraud scheme that had duped 65,000 victims. Scammers lured investors with flashy ads and promises of high-yield cryptocurrency returns. According to Interpol, the operation may have stolen as much as $300 million from unsuspecting individuals across Africa.

In Angola, the crackdown revealed a different angle of crypto crime, which involves illegal mining centers. Investigators uncovered 25 sites run by 60 foreign nationals, where powerful servers and rigs were validating blockchain transactions without authorization. The equipment, worth more than $37 million, was seized.

Rising Global Concerns Over Crypto Crime

The Crypto crime network in Africa bust comes against a broader backdrop of mounting global challenges for law enforcement in the crypto space.In Hong Kong, police recently dismantled a cross-border laundering network that pushed more than $15 million through banks and crypto exchange shops.

In the United States, the Department of Justice has intensified its focus on North Korean cyber actors posing as remote workers, using false identities to infiltrate American companies and siphon both cryptocurrency and sensitive data.

Meanwhile, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reported that crypto thieves had already stolen $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, surpassing the full tally of 2024. Analysts warn that losses could climb toward $4 billion by year’s end. Much of that spike traces back to the $1.5 billion Bybit hack in March, which U.S. officials have linked to North Korean state-sponsored groups.

Why Operation Serengeti 2.0 Matters

Interpol’s success underscores how cross-border collaboration is becoming essential in fighting financial crime in the digital era. With scams growing more sophisticated and criminals increasingly exploiting crypto’s borderless nature, law enforcement agencies are racing to match that scale with joint task forces, advanced blockchain forensics, and stricter regulatory frameworks.

For Africa, the bust marks both a warning and a milestone. On one hand, it highlights how the continent is becoming a target for crypto-related schemes. On the other hand, it shows that coordinated policing efforts are capable of clawing back stolen funds and dismantling entrenched fraud networks. Equally, it shows the Crypto crime network in Africa is well-connected with other continents, reflecting growing connections in crypto-related crimes around the world. 

As crypto adoption accelerates across Africa, operations like Serengeti 2.0 may be just the beginning of a more protracted fight to balance innovation with investor protection.