A coordinated law-enforcement operation spanning 19 African countries has resulted in 574 arrests and the recovery of approximately USD 3 million, highlighting a significant escalation in regional efforts to combat cyber-enabled crime. Conducted between 27 October and 27 November under the name Operation Sentinel, the initiative targeted business email compromise schemes, digital extortion and ransomware—three threat categories identified as rapidly expanding in INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment.
During the month-long operation, investigators dismantled key components of cybercriminal infrastructure, taking down more than 6,000 malicious links and decrypting six separate ransomware variants. Authorities estimate that the cases addressed during the operation were linked to potential financial losses exceeding USD 21 million, underlining the economic impact of cybercrime on both public institutions and private enterprises across the continent.
Several high-profile interventions demonstrated the value of swift cross-border cooperation. In Senegal, a petroleum company narrowly avoided a USD 7.9 million loss after attackers infiltrated internal email systems and impersonated senior executives to authorize fraudulent wire transfers. Law enforcement acted quickly to freeze destination accounts, preventing the funds from being withdrawn. In Ghana, a ransomware attack against a financial institution encrypted vast volumes of data and disrupted essential services. Through advanced malware analysis, authorities identified the ransomware strain, developed a decryption tool and recovered nearly 30 terabytes of data, while arresting multiple suspects.
Ghanaian investigators also dismantled a transnational cyber-fraud network operating across Ghana and Nigeria that used fake websites and mobile applications impersonating well-known fast-food brands. The scheme defrauded more than 200 victims of over USD 400,000 before being shut down. In Benin, authorities disabled dozens of malicious domains and thousands of social-media accounts tied to extortion scams, leading to over 100 arrests. Rapid response by Cameroonian police in an online vehicle-sales scam further prevented losses through emergency bank account freezes.
INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton noted that cyberattacks across Africa are becoming increasingly sophisticated, particularly against critical sectors such as finance and energy. He emphasized that Operation Sentinel demonstrated how coordinated action between national agencies and international partners can protect livelihoods, safeguard sensitive data and preserve critical infrastructure.
The operation relied heavily on collaboration with private-sector partners, whose technical expertise supported IP tracing, ransomware analysis and asset freezing. Intelligence gathered during Operation Sentinel is expected to strengthen future investigations and reinforce Africa’s collective capacity to respond to evolving cyber threats.