Interpol has launched one of its biggest operations against cybercrime in Africa, arresting more than 1 200 suspects and dismantling criminal networks that stretched from Angola to Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire.
The sweep — dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0 — targeted everything from illegal bitcoin mining to human trafficking and online scams that collectively fleeced victims of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Bitcoin Mining Bust in Angola
In Angola, authorities shut down 25 illegal cryptocurrency mining centres run by 60 Chinese nationals. The crackdown also exposed 45 illicit power stations, with police seizing mining rigs and IT hardware valued at over $37 million.
This equipment, once used to drain Angola’s fragile grid, will now be redirected to strengthen electricity distribution in vulnerable communities.
Angola banned bitcoin mining in 2024 after the industry’s soaring power consumption threatened to cripple the national grid. Those caught mining illegally face up to 5 years in prison, while tampering with the national power supply carries sentences of up to 12 years.
The Chinese embassy in Luanda had already cautioned its nationals against mining activities last year, but the arrests show that many ignored the warning.
Zambia’s $300 Million Scam Ring
In neighbouring Zambia, investigators broke up a large-scale online fraud syndicate that scammed 65 000 victims out of a staggering $300 million. Authorities arrested 15 suspects, seized bank accounts, phone numbers, and website domains, and uncovered ties to international collaborators still at large.
Shockingly, the same operation also disrupted a human trafficking network running in parallel with the online scam, highlighting how cybercrime is increasingly tied to other organised criminal enterprises.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Inheritance Scam
Further west, in Côte d’Ivoire, police arrested a suspect behind a transnational inheritance scam that originated in Germany but operated across borders. Victims were conned into paying “fees” to access non-existent inheritances — costing them an estimated $1.6 million. Assets including vehicles, cash, electronics, and jewellery were seized.
A Growing Cybercrime War
According to Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, the operation dismantled 11 432 malicious infrastructures and recovered $97.4 million worldwide.
> “Each Interpol-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries,” Urquiza said.
Africa has become an emerging hotspot for crypto-related crime. Low energy costs and weak regulation have lured mining syndicates from China and elsewhere. But with electricity grids already under strain, governments are tightening the noose.
Ethiopia recently froze new mining permits despite its hydropower surplus.
Libya has dismantled several mining operations in the past two years, detaining dozens of Chinese nationals.
Even in Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, miners were caught hiding rigs in trucks to siphon electricity.
The Bigger Picture
Interpol’s offensive reveals a continent caught in the crossfire between economic opportunity and criminal exploitation. While some countries saw crypto mining as a way to monetise unused power, criminal syndicates exploited loopholes, turning Africa into a new frontier for illicit operations.
The crackdown sends a clear signal: illegal mining and online scams will not be tolerated — and international cooperation is tightening the net on cybercriminals.
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Scams and Corruption