Operatives of the Nigerian criminal network, Black Axe, have been arrested in Switzerland over their involvement in romance scams, cyber fraud, and money laundering activities.
This was disclosed by Europol in a statement published on its website on Tuesday, April 28, following an operation conducted across several Swiss cantons.
Black Axe, formally linked to the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, is a highly structured and hierarchical organisation with a global presence, known for engaging in cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and other violent crimes.
Europol said coordinated house searches led to multiple arrests targeting leaders and members of the group operating internationally.
Authorities added that the arrests followed investigations led by Zurich prosecutors and police authorities, with suspects accused of several offences.
The crimes include romance scams and other cyber fraud schemes that caused millions of Swiss francs in damages, as well as money laundering.
Investigations by Swiss authorities were carried out with support from Europol and through cross-border collaboration with other European law enforcement agencies.
The agency provided operational support, including intelligence analysis and coordination efforts, as well as a data-sharing exercise conducted in Madrid.
This helped map the network’s structure across countries, track its activities, and support coordinated national investigations aimed at disrupting the group’s operations and seizing illicit assets.
The operation also received backing from the ON Network, funded by the European Union and led by Italy’s Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate, as part of wider efforts to tackle organised transnational crime.
It is not the first time members of Black Axe have been arrested for international crimes.
In November 2023, Irish authorities seized over €1 million in crypto-assets, alongside $3 million in other illegal proceeds, and froze more than 700 bank accounts connected to the network.
