Spain arrests 34 linked to Nigerian ‘Black Axe’ gang
Spanish authorities have detained 34 people in a nationwide crackdown on the transnational crime network known as “Black Axe,” Europol said on Friday. The suspects are accused of involvement in fraud schemes, money laundering and forged documents.
The coordinated operation took place across several regions of Spain, from Seville to Barcelona, and was supported by Europol. German authorities also participated as part of a wider joint investigation, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Black Axe originated in Nigeria in the late 1970s as a student confraternity before evolving into an organized criminal network specializing largely in cyber-enabled financial crimes.
According to Europol, the group recruited “money mules” in economically vulnerable neighborhoods with high unemployment, exploiting mostly Spanish nationals to funnel illicit proceeds.
Investigators estimate that the network defrauded victims of more than €5.9 million ($6.87 million).
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