Sprawling 'Operation Sentinel' Neutralizes African Cybercrime Syndicates

Operation Sentinel, a multi-country cybercrime operation coordinated through Interpol, has broken up several prolific African crime networks. The operation spanned 19 countries and led to 574 arrests and the seizure of about $3 million, alongside takedowns of more than 6,000 malicious links and the decryption of six ransomware variants. Interpol said the investigation linked activity to around $21 million in losses from business email compromise, digital extortion and ransomware schemes.

In one case, threat actors conducted a sophisticated BEC scam against a major Senegalese petroleum company, breaking into email systems and directing a $7.9 million wire transfer to their accounts, according to Interpol. In Ghana, a ransomware attack disrupted a financial institution and caused losses of $120,000, while other operations involved spoofed fast-food sites and extortion-linked domains.

Ambassador Jalel Chelba highlighted that cyber threats across Africa are accelerating, with cybercrime representing a medium-to-high share of overall crime in two-thirds of regional countries. 23 December 2025