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The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has announced the arrest of two suspects in separate cybercrime investigations in Nigeria, including a suspect linked to a phishing operation that collected about 2.1 million email addresses.
INTERPOL disclosed this on Thursday in a statement on its website detailing the outcome of Operation Serengeti III, a cybercrime crackdown conducted across 21 countries between June 29 and August 31, 2026.
According to the organisation, one Nigerian investigation targeted a large-scale phishing and business email compromise operation. The suspect allegedly harvested software credentials and collected approximately 2.1 million email addresses. Investigators also recovered a luxury vehicle suspected to have been bought with criminal proceeds.
In a separate case, Nigerian authorities arrested a suspect linked to an international investment fraud scheme promoted through messaging apps.
INTERPOL said financial investigations traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds, much of which was laundered through cryptocurrency transactions. However, the organisation did not disclose the suspects’ identities or state when they would be charged in court.
The Nigerian cases formed part of Operation Serengeti III, which resulted in 1,462 arrests across participating countries. The operation also led to the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks and the recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.
Furthermore, investigators identified 65,929 victims targeted by cybercrime networks. Financial investigations linked the criminal activities uncovered during the operation to losses exceeding $385 million. The crackdown targeted cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, online scams and digital extortion.
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INTERPOL Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton said the operation showed the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime.
“Cybercrime networks operate without regard for borders, exploiting technology to target victims on an unprecedented scale.
“Operation Serengeti III reinforces a clear message: while cybercrime is increasingly borderless, international cooperation remains one of the most effective tools for disrupting criminal networks, recovering criminal assets and protecting communities from digital harm,” Jetton said.
