Africa Cyber Surge II Operation: 14 Arrests Made, Thousands of Illicit Cyber Networks Disrupted

DAR ES SALAM, Tanzania, August 18 – In a joint effort between INTERPOL and AFRIPOL, a far-reaching operation spanning 25 African countries has led to the apprehension of 14 suspected cybercriminals and the identification of a staggering 20,674 suspicious cyber networks. The operation underscores the alarming rise in digital vulnerabilities and cyber threats across the region. These networks were found to be linked to financial losses exceeding USD 40 million.

Dubbed “Africa Cyber Surge II,” the four-month operation was initiated in April 2023. Its primary focus was to pinpoint cybercriminals and compromised digital infrastructure. The endeavor was effectively coordinated by INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate in collaboration with INTERPOL Africa Cybercrime Operations desk and INTERPOL’s Support Programme for the African Union, known as AFRIPOL (ISPA).

The operation aimed to enhance communication, conduct analysis, and share intelligence among participating countries. This harmonized cooperation among African law enforcement agencies was designed to prevent, mitigate, investigate, and disrupt a range of cybercrimes, including cyber extortion, phishing, business email compromise, and online scams. By harnessing actionable insights from the private sector, the operation demonstrated the potency of cybersecurity efforts when international law enforcement, national authorities, and private sector allies unite to combat cyber threats proactively.

Active operational support was provided by INTERPOL, AFRIPOL, and private sector partners Group-IB and Uppsala Security, who shared actionable intelligence throughout the operation. The operation’s noteworthy achievements include:

• In Cameroon, acting on information from Côte d’Ivoire, three individuals were apprehended in connection with an online scam involving fraudulent art sales worth USD 850,000.
• Nigerian authorities arrested a suspect accused of defrauding a Gambian victim.
• In Mauritius, two individuals acting as money mules for scams initiated through messaging platforms were detained.
• Gambia’s proactive measures and robust partnerships led to the dismantling of 185 malicious Internet Protocols (IP) associated with cybercrimes.
• Cameroonian authorities successfully shut down two Darknet sites.
• In Kenya, 615 malware hosters were taken offline.

A pivotal element of the operation involved the distribution of approximately 150 INTERPOL analytical reports to participating countries. These reports provided crucial intelligence on cyber threats targeting specific nations, enabling actionable investigative and disruptive measures. Developed by INTERPOL in collaboration with partners Group-IB, Trend Micro, Kaspersky, and Coinbase, the reports contained valuable information, including:

• 3,786 malicious command and control servers
• 14,134 victim IPs tied to data stealer cases.
• 1,415 phishing links and domains
• 939 scam IPs
• Over 400 other malicious URLs, IPs, and botnets.

Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL’s Secretary General, highlighted the operation’s role in strengthening cybercrime departments in participating countries and forging essential partnerships with entities like computer emergency response teams and Internet Service Providers. He emphasized the significance of these efforts in minimizing the global impact of cybercrime and safeguarding communities.

The operation not only highlighted the interconnectedness between financial and cybercrimes but also encouraged participating countries to adopt a “follow the money” approach to expand their law enforcement response.

This initiative was preceded by a week-long tabletop exercise in Tanzania, aimed at equipping officials from 20 African countries with the knowledge and skills required for successful cybercrime and cryptocurrency investigations.

“Africa Cyber Surge II” received funding from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office, and the Council of Europe. AFRIPOL’s Acting Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, emphasized the urgent need for public and private collaboration to safeguard digital technologies against exploitation by cybercriminals, highlighting the necessity of coordinated operations like “Cyber Surge” to disrupt criminal networks and foster comprehensive protection at all levels.