In a joint effort between Interpol and the African Police (Afripol), a comprehensive operation spanning 25 African countries, including Uganda, has led to substantial achievements in combating cybercrime. As a result of this operation, 14 individuals suspected of engaging in cybercrime activities have been apprehended, marking a crucial step towards bolstering cybersecurity in the region.
Jürgen Stock, Secretary General of Interpol, highlighted the operation’s success in addressing cyber threats. Alongside these arrests, a staggering 20,674 suspicious cyber networks were identified. This revelation underscores the escalating digital insecurity and cyber challenges prevalent in the African continent.
Ambassador Jalel Chelba, Acting Executive Director of Afripol, noted that the identified networks were associated with financial losses exceeding $40 million (approximately UGX 148.9 billion). This information was gleaned from the four-month “Africa Cyber Surge II” operation initiated in April of this year. The operation’s primary focus was to expose cybercriminals and compromised infrastructure.
Coordinated by Interpol’s Cybercrime Directorate, under the umbrella of the INTERPOL Africa Cybercrime Operations desk and INTERPOL’s Support Programme for the African Union in relation to AFRIPOL (ISPA), the operation aimed to streamline cooperation among African law enforcement agencies. Its objectives included preventing, mitigating, investigating, and disrupting cyber extortion, phishing, business email compromise, and online scams.
Leveraging actionable private sector intelligence, the operation highlighted the efficacy of cybersecurity when international law enforcement, national authorities, and private sector partners collaborate to share best practices and proactively combat cybercrime.
Operational highlights include:
- Cameroon: Three suspects were arrested in connection to an online scam involving fraudulent art sales worth $850,000.
- Nigeria: A suspect accused of defrauding a Gambian victim was apprehended.
- Mauritius: Two money mules linked to messaging platform scams were arrested.
- Gambia: 185 malicious Internet Protocols (IPs) were taken down.
- Cameroon: Two Darknet sites were dismantled.
- Kenya: Authorities took down 615 malware hosters.
- More than 150 INTERPOL analytical reports on cyber threats were shared with participating countries for investigative and disruptive actions during the operation.
The operation culminated in the strengthening of cybercrime departments in member countries and the consolidation of partnerships with crucial stakeholders, contributing to a reduction in the global impact of cybercrime and enhancing community protection.
This initiative highlighted the nexus between financial crime and cybercrime, leading participating countries to adopt a “follow the money” approach to expand their law enforcement responses. Preceded by a one-week tabletop exercise in Tanzania on cybercrime and cryptocurrency investigations, the initiative equipped officials from 20 African nations with the necessary skills to execute the operation effectively.
Chelba emphasized the urgency of collaboration between public and private entities to prevent technology exploitation by cybercriminals. Such coordinated operations play a vital role in disrupting criminal networks and establishing comprehensive protection measures at all levels.
Funding for Africa Cyber Surge II was provided by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office, and the Council of Europe.
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