Irish police have arrested an individual suspected of being a “mule herder” for the notorious “Black Axe” organized crime group, a transnational criminal organization. The suspect, in his 20s, is accused of recruiting others to be money mules and managing their bank accounts in scams across several countries, including Norway, Germany, the United States (including Hawaii), and Ireland.
Key points from the arrest and investigation:
- Significant Money Laundering Operation: The suspect is believed to have controlled 50 “money mule” bank accounts to launder the proceeds of frauds carried out by the Black Axe gang. These funds mostly came from bogus text message-based scams, with approximately €196,000 being funneled through the mule accounts.
- Arrest and Seizures: The suspect was arrested during a search operation in Dublin. In addition to the arrest, Irish police seized a Range Rover SUV valued at €100,000, 30 mobile phones, passports, bank cards, account details, cash in euros and dollars, a cash counting machine, and computers.
- Cross-Border Investigation: The operation is part of a larger investigation into incidents of fraud in multiple countries, including Norway, Germany, the USA, Hawaii, and Ireland, and the subsequent laundering of money through money mule accounts, businesses, and trade-based money laundering operations.
- Black Axe Criminal Organization: The Black Axe mafia syndicate originated in Nigeria in the 1970s and has evolved into one of the world’s largest fraud gangs, with global reach. It often recruits members with specialized skills, including computer specialists from universities.
- International Law Enforcement Collaboration: The investigation is part of a broader international effort involving Europol and law enforcement agencies from multiple countries targeting the Black Axe criminal organization.
Last week, Irish police announced the results of a cross-border investigation into the Black Axe organization, which led to the arrest of 47 individuals in Ireland for money laundering-related offenses and the recovery of over €400,000 stolen from Irish companies. This operation, known as “Operation Jackal,” involved cooperation among law enforcement agencies across 21 countries on six continents.
By FCCT Editorial Team