Law enforcement agencies across 19 countries have made a significant breakthrough in combating cybercrime, arresting 574 suspects and recovering approximately USD 3 million during a month-long coordinated operation across Africa.
The crackdown underscores the escalating threat of ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and digital extortion schemes plaguing the continent.
Operation Sentinel, conducted from October 27 to November 27, targeted three major cybercrime categories identified in INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report.
During the campaign, authorities dismantled six distinct ransomware variants, decrypting systems and neutralizing over 6,000 malicious links.
The investigated cases connected to estimated financial losses exceeding USD 21 million, demonstrating the scale of digital threats affecting African nations.
Notable successes emerged across multiple countries. In Senegal, law enforcement prevented a fraudulent USD 7.9 million wire transfer after identifying a sophisticated BEC scheme that infiltrated a major petroleum company’s email systems.
Quick action by authorities froze destination accounts, halting the theft before funds disappeared.
Ghana achieved major victories against cybercriminals operating across borders. Authorities dismantled a ransomware attack that encrypted 100 terabytes of data and stole USD 120,000 from a financial institution.
Through advanced malware analysis, investigators identified the ransomware strain and developed a decryption tool, recovering nearly 30 terabytes of data.
Additionally, Ghanaian law enforcement arrested ten suspects connected to a sophisticated cyber-fraud network that defrauded over 200 victims of USD 400,000 using professionally designed websites mimicking fast-food brands.
More than 100 digital devices were seized and 30 fraudulent servers taken offline.
Benin recorded 106 arrests during the operation, with authorities dismantling 4,318 social media accounts linked to extortion schemes and shutting down 43 malicious domains.
Cameroon responded swiftly to phishing campaigns, issuing emergency bank freezes within hours of victim reports.
INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, Neal Jetton, highlighted the operation’s significance: “The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are accelerating, especially against critical sectors like finance and energy.
Operation Sentinel reflects the commitment of African law enforcement agencies working in close coordination with international partners.”
The operation succeeded through partnerships with private sector leaders including Team Cymru, The Shadowserver Foundation, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Uppsala Security, demonstrating the critical importance of public-private collaboration in combating transnational cybercrime threats.
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