Democracy Dies in Darkness

Interpol arrests 1,000 cybercrime suspects across Africa

Operation Serengeti — led by Interpol and Afripol, the African Union’s policing organization — targeted online scams. Arrests were made in 19 countries.

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Interpol announced the cybercrime arrests this week in cases linked to nearly $193 million. (Olivier Chassignole/AFP/Getty Images)
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More than 1,000 people suspected of cybercrimes were arrested in 19 African countries between September and October, Interpol announced Tuesday.

Operation Serengeti — led by Interpol and Afripol, the African Union’s policing organization — targeted people suspected of cybercrimes, including those using ransomware, digital extortion, online scams and phishing schemes.