Interpol Dismantles Six Ransomware Variants, Arrests Over 500 Suspects

In a landmark coordinated operation spanning 19 countries, international law enforcement agencies have arrested 574 cybercriminals and recovered approximately USD 3 million during Operation Sentinel, a month-long campaign targeting ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and digital extortion schemes across Africa.

Conducted between October 27 and November 27, the operation dismantled six ransomware variants and neutralized more than 6,000 malicious links.

Cases investigated during the initiative were linked to estimated financial losses totaling more than USD 21 million, underscoring the scale of cybercrime threatening the continent.

Swift Action Prevents Massive Fraud

The operation delivered immediate results. In Senegal, authorities uncovered a sophisticated BEC scheme targeting a major petroleum company.

Fraudsters had infiltrated internal email systems and impersonated executives to authorize a USD 7.9 million wire transfer.

Quick intervention by Senegalese authorities froze destination accounts, halting the transfer before funds could be withdrawn.

Ghana emerged as a major operational success. A financial institution was hit by a ransomware attack that encrypted 100 terabytes of data and resulted in a USD 120,000 ransom demand.

Ghanaian authorities conducted advanced malware analysis, identified the ransomware strain, and developed a decryption tool that recovered nearly 30 terabytes of data.

In a separate case, Ghanaian law enforcement dismantled a cross-border cyber-fraud network operating in Ghana and Nigeria.

The criminals used professionally designed websites and mobile apps that mimicked well-known fast-food brands to defraud more than 200 victims of USD 400,000.

Ten suspects were arrested, 100 digital devices were seized, and 30 fraudulent servers were disabled.

Benin demonstrated exceptional enforcement commitment, with 106 arrests and significant disruption to digital infrastructure.

Authorities took down 43 malicious domains and shut down 4,318 social media accounts linked to extortion and scam operations.

Cameroon’s law enforcement responded rapidly to an online vehicle sales platform scam, traced the phishing campaign to a compromised server, and issued emergency bank freezes within hours.

“The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are accelerating, especially against critical sectors like finance and energy,” said Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime.

“The outcomes from Operation Sentinel reflect the commitment of African law enforcement agencies working in close coordination with international partners.”

The operation succeeded through partnerships with private-sector leaders, including Team Cymru, The Shadowserver Foundation, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Uppsala Security, which provided critical technical support for tracing IP addresses and freezing illicit financial assets.

Operation Sentinel demonstrates that coordinated international action remains essential in combating evolving cybercrime threats targeting critical infrastructure and civilian populations across Africa.

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