International law enforcement agencies have delivered a major blow to the global cybercrime network known as Black Axe. In a coordinated operation led by the Spanish National Police and authorities from Bavaria in Germany, with support from Europol, officers arrested 34 suspects across Spain. Most of the arrests were made in Seville, while others were detained in Madrid, Malaga and Barcelona.
Black Axe originated in West Africa, mainly in Nigeria, and has grown into a large and highly organised criminal group with an estimated 30,000 members worldwide. The network is known for operating with a strict internal structure. While it is linked to serious crimes such as human trafficking and armed robbery, it has become widely known for its involvement in online fraud.
According to Europol, the group uses several methods to steal money. These include romance scams, phishing schemes and business email compromise. In these crimes, victims are tricked into sharing personal details or transferring funds to accounts controlled by criminals.
Investigators found that the group targeted people in economically weaker areas of Spain. These individuals were recruited as money mules, allowing their bank accounts to be used to move illegal funds and hide the true source of the crime. Most of the recruits were Spanish citizens, while the core group included ten Nigerian nationals.
Authorities believe the network earns billions of euros globally every year. In this case alone, the fraud caused losses of nearly six million euros. During the raids, police froze over 119,352 euros in bank accounts and seized more than 66,403 euros in cash.
Europol said the operation focused on breaking the structure of the network and seizing its assets. “This strategy aims to disrupt the group’s operations and seize assets, addressing the challenges posed by the group’s dispersed small cases, cross border activity, and the blurring of crimes into ‘ordinary’ local offences,” the agency said.
While the entire organisation has not been dismantled, officials say the operation has significantly disrupted its activities in Europe and sent a strong message to cybercriminals.
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