Interpol cracks down on African cybercrime

Interpol has announced the arrests of 260 individuals allegedly involved in cyber scams across Africa as part of a coordinated law enforcement operation conducted between July and August, according to the BBC.

Nearly $2.8 million has been amassed from over 1,400 victims of romance scams and sextortion schemes across the continent, reported Interpol, which was able to dismantle 81 cybercrime gangs after determining their IP addresses, domains, and digital infrastructure.

Most of the arrests were made in Ghana, where authorities were able to apprehend 68 suspects and sequester 835 devices involved in bogus courier fees and clandestine intimate video recordings. Also apprehended were two dozen individuals in Ivory Coast who were part of a fraudulent online scheme, as well as 22 others in Senegal who are involved in emotional manipulation campaigns.

"Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams," said Interpol Acting Executive Director of Police Services Cyril Gout.