Europol has arrested 10 Nigerians as part of a major crackdown on the ‘Black Axe’ international criminal network, with fraud losses estimated at over €5.93 million.
The arrests were carried out in Spain, where authorities detained a total of 34 suspects linked to the organised crime group.
The disclosure was contained in a statement published on Europol’s website last week, detailing the outcome of a coordinated operation involving Spanish and German law enforcement agencies.
Europol said the operation targeted what investigators described as the core leadership of the criminal network, alongside facilitators involved in its financial operations.
Europol said the operation was led by the Spanish National Police, in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office in Germany, with analytical and operational support from Europol.
The agency said the suspects were linked to the Black Axe criminal organisation, described as a highly structured and hierarchical group with origins in Nigeria and a presence in dozens of countries.
According to the statement, the network was involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including cyber-enabled fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, armed robbery, and fraudulent spiritual practices.
“The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and with the support of Europol, has conducted an operation against the international criminal organisation ‘Black Axe’.
“The action resulted in 34 arrests and significant disruptions to the group’s activities. Black Axe is a highly structured, hierarchical group with its origins in Nigeria and a global presence in dozens of countries. The core group of arrested suspects consists of 10 individuals of Nigerian nationality,” the statement read in part.
Europol said the group generated billions of euros annually, largely through numerous small-scale operations that collectively caused significant financial damage.
The statement revealed that 28 arrests were made in Seville, while others took place in Madrid, Málaga, and Barcelona. Investigators also froze €119,352 in bank accounts and seized €66,403 in cash during coordinated house searches across Spain.
(Nairametrics)
