Gardaí charge 34 suspects in raids against Black Axe fraud gang

More than 30 suspects have been arrested and charged by the Garda as part of the Republic’s role in a major international investigation into the Black Axe fraud gang. The arrests for charging were conducted by Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) and local gardaí in counties including Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Limerick, Kerry, Laois, Longford and Cork.

While the Black Axe group originated in west Africa, it now has cells worldwide, including in the Republic, where its members have laundered more than €60 million in recent years.

The gang has for several years been running a large network of so-called mules and middle managers in the Republic to secure access to bank accounts through which the proceeds of frauds on victims worldwide can be laundered.

Under Operation Jackal, also known in the Republic as Operation Skein, gardaí and other law enforcement agencies in 21 countries in May engaged in two weeks of action against Black Axe members, and their associates. In Ireland, a total of 34 people were arrested and charged with money laundering, after allegedly allowing their bank accounts to be used to receive money into.

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In total, three premises were searched in Dublin, Wicklow and Longford while nine people were also arrested under organised crime legislation while one person was charged with gangland offences. Stolen money was recovered from nine foreign bank accounts.

Gardaí also outlined some of the crimes, committed by the Black Axe gang and their associates, targeting Irish businesses or where bank accounts in the Republic were used, including to launder money stolen via fake emails involving bogus invoices.

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In one case €98,000 was stolen in a bogus email scam targeting a company in the Republic. Though the money had been transferred to a bank in Portugal, the transaction was cancelled and all money recovered. In another case, some €149,000 was stolen from a person in Ireland who believed they were buying an apartment in Spain, where €76,000 was recovered in an account after an inquiry by GNECB.

The bureau also recovered €91,000 after some €95,000 was stolen in a bogus business email scam in the United States before being transferred to an account in the Republic. In seven cases, over €475,000 was stolen from Irish companies with over €400,000 recovered by GNECB.

Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, Organised and Serious Crime, said the Garda’s role in the international operation in May was proof of its ongoing commitment to work with other police forces in targeting transnational crime.

Supt Michael Cryan of the GNECB urged people never to allow a third party use of their bank account. “If you are approached on social media or other platform, with a promise of ‘easy money’, beware, your bank account is your information and your responsibility,” he said.