# INTERPOL coordinated law enforcement operations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/interpol-coordinated-law-enforcement-operations
> Updated: 2026-10-22T09:14:05.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 2.

Between March and September 2026, INTERPOL-coordinated efforts targeted various forms of international digital crime.

Through ‘International Effort Confluencia’, authorities in 17 countries arrested 95 individuals for the exploitation of minors and the distribution of child sexual abuse material via messaging platforms and cryptocurrencies. This operation included Italy’s ‘Operation Upriver’, which resulted in seven arrests and the seizure of approximately 100,000 files.

Simultaneously, ‘Operation Serengeti III’ involved law enforcement agencies from 21 countries, including the United States and 20 African nations, to combat cybercrime. Conducted between June 29 and August 31, 2026, the operation disrupted 10,909 malicious networks and led to the arrest of 1,462 suspects. Authorities identified 65,929 victims and linked the criminal activities to financial losses exceeding $385 million, with more than $105 million in illicit funds recovered.

Regional successes included dismantling two transnational fraud rings in Uganda, which led to the arrest of 365 foreign nationals involved in investment and pension scams targeting victims in Asia. In Nigeria, authorities arrested suspects linked to large-scale phishing and business email compromise operations that harvested approximately 2.1 million email addresses, alongside an investment fraud scheme involving $2.4 million in suspected proceeds. In Angola, two illegal cryptocurrency mining centers were dismantled, resulting in nine arrests and the seizure of over 2,000 mining devices and infrastructure valued at over $1 million. Additional actions included disrupting a mobile lending fraud scheme in Tanzania and a vehicle import fraud network in Gabon.

## Claims

- Operation Serengeti III took place between June 29 and August 31, 2026. (corroborated by 13 sources)
- Law enforcement agencies from 21 countries arrested 1,462 suspects. (corroborated by 13 sources)
- The operation disrupted 10,909 malicious networks. (corroborated by 13 sources)
- Criminal activities were linked to financial losses exceeding $385 million. (corroborated by 13 sources)
- More than $105 million in illicit funds were recovered. (corroborated by 10 sources)
- A Nigerian suspect was arrested in connection to an investment fraud scheme involving $2.4 million. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- In Uganda, 365 foreign nationals were arrested in connection to investment and pension fraud. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- In Angola, two illegal cryptocurrency mining centers were dismantled. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-22: INTERPOL Operation Serengeti III arrests 1,462 cybercrime suspects

INTERPOL's Operation Serengeti III led to 1,462 arrests and the disruption of 10,909 cybercrime networks across 21 countries, recovering over $105 million in illicit funds.

19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/operation-serengeti-iii-arrests-1462-suspects-in-african-cybercrime-crackdown

### 2026-10-19: International police operations dismantle child exploitation networks

International police operations, including INTERPOL’s Confluencia and Italy’s Upriver, have arrested 95 people and seized vast amounts of child abuse material across multiple countries.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/international-police-operations-dismantle-child-exploitation-networks

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Cite as: INTERPOL coordinated law enforcement operations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/interpol-coordinated-law-enforcement-operations