NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 26 – Authorities in 14 African countries, including Kenya, have arrested 260 suspects and seized more than 1,200 electronic devices in a major INTERPOL-led crackdown on cyber-enabled crime.
The joint effort, dubbed Operation Contender 3.0, ran from July 28 to August 11, 2025, and targeted transnational criminal networks exploiting digital platforms—particularly social media—to defraud victims through romance scams and sextortion.
During the operation, INTERPOL said investigators identified key digital infrastructures, including IP addresses, domains and social media accounts linked to syndicates.
Police also seized USB drives, SIM cards, forged documents, and dismantled 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa.
INTERPOL said the crackdown exposed 1,463 victims who collectively lost nearly USD 2.8 million.
“Cyber crime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,” said Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL.
“The growth of online platforms has opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims, causing both financial loss and psychological harm. By working closely with our member countries and private sector partners, we remain committed to dismantling these groups that prey on vulnerable individuals online.”
In Ghana authorities arrested 68 suspects, seized 835 devices, and identified 108 victims with financial losses of USD 450,000, of which USD 70,000 was recovered.
The scams involved fake profiles, forged identities and fraudulent courier or customs fees.
In Senegal police arrested 22 suspects, seizing 65 devices and forged ID documents.
Investigators uncovered a network impersonating celebrity to defraud 120 victims of USD 34,000.
In Côte d’Ivoire, INTERPOL said a cyber ring blackmailed victim by coercing them into sharing intimate images.
Here, authorities arrested 24 suspects, seized 29 devices, and identified a staggering 809 victims.
In Angola, eight suspects were arrested, and 28 victims identified. Criminals used fraudulent documents to create fake identities for social media scams.
The operation was strengthened through collaboration with private sector partners Group-IB and Trend Micro, which enhanced data-sharing and operational capabilities.
The initiative was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under the African Joint Operation Against Cybercrime project.
Other participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.
INTERPOL noted that romance scam tactics typically involve criminals using stolen images and fake identities to build online relationships, before manipulating victims into sending money.
Sextortion cases often involve offenders secretly recording explicit chats or videos and using them for blackmail.
In June 2025, INTERPOL’s Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report revealed that two-thirds of African member states consider cyber-related offences to account for a medium-to-high proportion of all reported crimes.
