Zimbabwe police arrest 1,000 cybercriminals

At least 1,000 cybercriminals, including 29 from Zimbabwe, have been arrested in recent multinational operations conducted by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) across Africa. Over 130,000 properties and gadgets linked to cybercrime activities were recovered during the Africa Cyber Surge 3.0 and Operation Serengeti initiatives.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is currently hosting a debrief meeting for the Africa Cyber Surge Operation in Harare. The event, which began yesterday and ends tomorrow, has brought together senior law enforcement officials and cybercrime experts from Interpol, the Southern Africa Regional Chiefs Co-operation Organisations (SARPCCO), and the African Union Mechanism for Police Co-operation (AFRIPOL).
Rising Cybercrime in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has seen a significant rise in cybercrimes, with individuals losing substantial amounts of money to online scams and cyberterrorism. The country's participation in the operations focused on combating phishing domains, malicious infrastructure, and other breaches impacting national security.

Chief Superintendent Alford Nyasha, ZRP's director of Forensic Science, highlighted Zimbabwe's achievements in the operation, stating, "We arrested 29 suspects and recovered vehicles purchased with proceeds of cybercriminal activities. Most cases are still before the courts, with investigations ongoing."
Continental Collaboration Against Cybercrime

The Africa Cyber Surge Operation, launched in 2022, is a collaborative initiative involving African law enforcement agencies to tackle the growing threat of cybercrime. This year's operation marked a milestone with over 1,000 arrests—the highest since its inception.

AFRIPOL Senior Cybercrime Officer Mr. Omar Daas commended the progress, saying, "This third edition of the Africa Cyber Surge Operation demonstrates the increasing capacity of African Union member states to effectively fight cybercrime. We are celebrating these successes here in Zimbabwe."

Interpol Assistant Director Cybercrime Operations, Mr. Enrique Hernandez, emphasized the operation's focus on ransomware, online scams, and Business Email Compromise (BEC), highlighting the importance of collaboration between countries.
Impact of Cybercrime Operations

According to Interpol's Head of the Regional Bureau in Harare, Mr. Sello Moerane, the joint cybercrime operations have significantly shaped Africa's response to online threats.

In 2022, the first Africa Cyber Surge uncovered financial losses totaling $800,000 due to scams and fraud. The second operation in 2023 exposed crimes valued at $40 million, representing a 5,000 percent increase in uncovered losses due to improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies and private sector stakeholders.

"This year's operation has been instrumental in disrupting ransomware activities, phishing, and botnet-linked malicious infrastructure. It's a testament to the power of cross-sector collaboration," Mr. Moerane said.
Strengthening Cybersecurity in Africa

The Harare meeting aims to assess the outcomes of the operations and strengthen strategies for future collaborative efforts. Participants from 19 Interpol member states, including six from the SARPCCO region, are expected to develop actionable insights to further combat cybercrime across the continent.

With increasing reliance on digital platforms, the operations underscore the importance of unified efforts in addressing the evolving threats of cybercrime in Africa.