Over 20 people have been arrested in Kenya for online credit card fraud in an operation led by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
In a statement by the international police body on Wednesday, November 26, police in Kenya effected the arrests during an operation named Operation Serengeti.
INTERPOL detailed that the operation was conducted between September 2 and October 31, 2024.
According to the statement, the over 20 individuals were responsible for the loss of Ksh1.1 billion.
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"In Kenya, officers cracked a case of online credit card fraud linked to losses of USD 8.6 million," read the statement in part.
"The funds, stolen through fraudulent scripts run after altering the banking system’s security protocol, were promptly redistributed by the group via SWIFT to companies in the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and China and subsequently, to digital asset institutions offering trading and financial services regulated in multiple jurisdictions."
On the other hand, INTERPOL indicated that similar operations were carried out across several countries in Africa as police targeted criminals targeting innocent people in digital spaces.
"More than 35,000 victims were identified during the operation, with cases linked to nearly USD 193 million in financial losses worldwide," the organization added.
"Information provided by participating countries of ongoing cases with INTERPOL fed into 65 Cyber Analytical Reports that were produced to ensure actions on the ground were intelligence-led and focused on the most significant actors."
