574 arrests, $3 million recovered in Africa-wide cybercrime crackdown

Help Net Security

December 22, 2025 at 9:33 AM

Overview

In a significant crackdown on cybercrime across Africa, law enforcement agencies from 19 countries arrested 574 individuals and seized around $3 million. This operation, called Operation Sentinel, ran for a month from October 27 to November 27 and focused on major cyber threats including business email compromise, digital extortion, and ransomware. Ghana was notably involved in the operation, with over 100 digital devices confiscated in connection with various cyber-fraud cases. This coordinated effort demonstrates a strong commitment to combating the rise of cybercrime in the region, which poses increasing risks to both individuals and businesses. The collective actions taken during this initiative aim to disrupt criminal networks that exploit technology for fraudulent activities.

Key Takeaways

Timeline: Ongoing since October 27, 2023

Original Article Summary

Law enforcement agencies across 19 countries arrested 574 suspects and recovered approximately $3 million during a major cybercrime operation spanning Africa. Suspects were arrested in Ghana in connection to the cyber-fraud case, with over 100 digital devices seized. (Source: Europol) The month-long initiative, known as Operation Sentinel (27 October–27 November), targeted three of the region’s most prevalent cybercrime threats: business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and ransomware. All three were identified as growing risks in … More → The post 574 arrests, $3 million recovered in Africa-wide cybercrime crackdown appeared first on Help Net Security.

Impact

Not specified

Exploitation Status

No active exploitation has been reported at this time. However, organizations should still apply patches promptly as proof-of-concept code may exist.

Timeline

Ongoing since October 27, 2023

Remediation

Not specified

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to Ransomware, Exploit.

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