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Interpol Seizes $105M in Operation Serengeti III, Dismantles Crypto Mines Across Africa

A major international operation led to the seizure of $105 million and the dismantling of thousands of illegal crypto mining operations across Africa.

A major international operation led to the seizure of $105 million and the dismantling of thousands of illegal crypto mining operations across Africa. This is an original Token Times brief synthesising 2 outlets (Crypto Economy, Decrypt), with their figures cross-checked, plus live market data, as of Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:00:01 UTC.

Why it matters

This operation highlights the growing global crackdown on illegal crypto mining and cybercrime, signaling increased international cooperation to combat illicit activities in the crypto space.

Covered by 2 outlets over about 3 h — Token Times synthesises them all into one brief
  1. Decrypt
    Interpol Recovers $105M in African Cybercrime Sweep That Shut Illegal Crypto Mines ↗
  2. Crypto Economy
    Interpol Seizes $105M And Dismantles Illegal Crypto Mines Across Africa ↗
Key takeaways
  • Interpol's Operation Serengeti III seized $105 million and dismantled 10,909 malicious networks.
  • Angolan authorities confiscated over 2,000 crypto mining devices.
  • The operation involved 21 countries and resulted in 1,462 arrests.
  • The crackdown reflects heightened global efforts to combat crypto-related cybercrime.
What the reporting agrees on

Multiple outlets, including Crypto Economy and Decrypt, confirm that Operation Serengeti III led to the seizure of $105 million and the dismantling of thousands of illegal networks across Africa. They agree on the involvement of 21 countries and the arrest of 1,462 individuals. However, Decrypt specifically reports the seizure of over 2,000 crypto mining devices by Angolan police, a detail not mentioned in other coverage.

Interpol's Operation Serengeti III, conducted from June 29 to August 31, resulted in the seizure of more than $105 million and the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks across Africa. The operation involved law enforcement agencies from 21 countries and led to 1,462 arrests, according to reports from Crypto Economy and Decrypt.

The operation targeted cybercrime networks, with a particular focus on illegal crypto mining operations. Authorities identified 65,929 victims and took down numerous cybercriminal infrastructures. The scale of the operation underscores the growing threat of cybercrime in the crypto space and the international effort to combat it.

Decrypt reports that Angolan police seized over 2,000 crypto mining devices during the operation, highlighting the prevalence of illegal mining activities in the region. This detail, not mentioned in other coverage, provides additional insight into the specific tactics used by law enforcement agencies.

The operation is part of a broader trend of increased international cooperation to combat cybercrime and illegal crypto activities. As the crypto market continues to grow, so too does the need for robust security measures and international collaboration to protect investors and prevent illicit activities.

In the current market context, with the total crypto market cap at $2.81 trillion and Bitcoin up 0.58% in the last 24 hours, this development may not have an immediate impact on prices. However, it could influence investor sentiment and regulatory discussions in the long term. The Fear & Greed Index remains at 50, indicating a neutral market sentiment.

The market when this published · October 23, 2026
Total market cap₹266.28T
Bitcoin 24h+0.58%
Ethereum 24h+1.25%
BTC dominance58.5%
Fear & Greed50 · Neutral
Cross-source data check

1 key figure independently matched across 2 outlets reporting this story.

$105M2× corroboratedCrypto Economy, Decrypt

Token Times extracts the figures each outlet reports and flags the ones that agree. Numbers cited by only one outlet are attributed in the brief, not shown as corroborated.

On-chain & primary-source check

Figures and sectors in this story, checked live against on-chain aggregators · October 23, 2026.

Bitcoin network hashrate1069 EH/sdifficulty 140.6Tmempool.space ↗

Token Times reads these figures directly from on-chain aggregators (DeFiLlama, mempool.space) at build time — independent of what any outlet reported. Sector totals aggregate every protocol DeFiLlama tracks in that category. Values are live and will change.

Interpol Seizes $105M in Operation Serengeti III, Dismantles — questions & answers

What was the total value seized during Operation Serengeti III?

Interpol seized more than $105 million during the operation.

How many countries participated in the operation?

21 countries participated in Operation Serengeti III.

What was the outcome of the operation in Angola?

Angolan police seized over 2,000 crypto mining devices.

Which outlets reported this story?

This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Crypto Economy, Decrypt, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.

Token Times Newsdesk Data-stamped

Token Times's newsdesk writes original briefs by synthesising coverage from across the crypto press — 50+ outlets including CoinDesk, The Block, Decrypt and Cointelegraph — cross-checking the figures they report — and verifying them against on-chain data from DeFiLlama and mempool.space — plus live market context (CoinGecko, Binance). We summarise and link to every source; we never reproduce full articles. Read our editorial standards and how we use AI. Not financial advice.

Market data verified against CoinGecko & Binance · October 23, 2026 ⛓ Timestamped at Bitcoin block #972,802 sha256:9cf5e6144f59380b
Corroborated across 2 outlets, reported over about 3 h — this is an original Token Times summary with live market data, not the original article.Decrypt · Oct 23 13:18 ↗Crypto Economy · Oct 23 16:18 ↗

Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.