Interpol's Serengeti III sweep recovers $105M, shuts illegal crypto mines in Angola
In brief
- Operation Serengeti III: agencies from 21 countries arrested 1,462 suspects in the Interpol-coordinated sweep.
- Interpol said more than $105 million was recovered and 10,909 malicious networks disrupted.
- Angolan investigators seized over 2,000 mining devices and six illegal power transformation stations.
- Networks were linked to more than $385 million in losses and 65,929 identified victims.
Angola's mining raid
In Angola, investigators dismantled two illegal crypto mining centers and seized more than 2,000 mining devices along with six illegal power transformation stations, Interpol said. Nine people were arrested. The seized electrical equipment alone was worth more than $1 million, according to the agency.
The operation ran from June 29 to August 31, 2026, and targeted ransomware, online scams, business email compromise, digital extortion and other cyber-enabled fraud. Authorities identified 65,929 victims, and financial investigations linked the networks to losses of more than $385 million, per Interpol.
Crypto laundering and call centers
In Nigeria, a suspect was arrested over an international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging apps. Investigators traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds in that case (much of it laundered through crypto transactions). Another Nigerian suspect is accused of running a phishing and business email compromise operation that collected about 2.1 million email addresses, and 30 suspects were arrested in the Republic of Congo.
Ugandan authorities dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals linked to online investment and pension scams aimed at victims in Asia. The rings allegedly ran a rotating call-center operation, using scripts, fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to persuade pensioners to put money into opportunities that didn't exist.
"Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders, exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale," said Neal Jetton, Interpol's director of cybercrime.
Private-sector partners Group-IB, Kaspersky, blockchain analytics firm Uppsala Security and Meta supported the operation.
Following Operation Catalyst
Serengeti III followed Operation Catalyst, a joint Interpol and Afripol crackdown in which authorities arrested 83 people across six African countries in 2025. That operation flagged $260 million in illicit crypto and fiat (of which $600,000 had been seized) and identified several high-value crypto wallets that Interpol said were "potentially linked" to terrorist financing.
An Interpol expert told Decrypt at the time that criminals were increasingly using crypto in Africa, but that it wasn't yet the main way most cybercrime proceeds were paid or settled.
Interpol said several investigations remain active as authorities try to identify more suspects and trace illicit proceeds.
Frequently asked questions
What was Operation Serengeti III?
Operation Serengeti III was an Interpol-coordinated cybercrime crackdown in Africa that ran from June 29 to August 31, 2026. It targeted ransomware, online scams, business email compromise, digital extortion and other cyber-enabled fraud. Interpol said agencies from 21 countries arrested 1,462 suspects and recovered more than $105 million.
What crypto mining equipment was seized in Angola?
Interpol said investigators in Angola dismantled two illegal crypto mining centers, arrested nine people and seized more than 2,000 mining devices plus six illegal power transformation stations. The seized electrical equipment alone was worth more than $1 million, according to Interpol.
