Spanish and German authorities, supported by Europol, recently dismantled a major cell of the Nigerian criminal syndicate Black Axe by arresting 34 individuals. The group is accused of orchestrating wide-ranging crimes including cyber fraud and human trafficking, resulting in millions of euros in damages.
The Spanish National Police and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office collaborated to target the international criminal organization known as Black Axe. This hierarchical group, which originated in Nigeria and operates globally, was the focus of a coordinated effort that led to dozens of arrests across several Spanish cities. While the core of the network consists of Nigerian nationals, the organization manages a vast array of illegal operations that generate billions of euros in annual proceeds through various small-scale but high-impact crimes.
Law enforcement focused their efforts on cities including Seville, Madrid, Malaga, and Barcelona to intercept the group's financial network. Investigators estimate that the criminal activities of this specific cell caused financial losses exceeding five million euros. During the raids, police froze numerous bank accounts and seized a significant amount of cash, directly striking at the group's liquid assets and disrupting their ability to fund further illicit operations.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate frequently recruits vulnerable individuals in economically depressed areas to act as money mules. These recruits, many of whom are local Spanish citizens facing high unemployment, are used to move stolen funds and facilitate the group's financial crimes. This tactic allows the core members to distance themselves from the transactions and exploit those in desperate financial situations to mask their trail.
International cooperation was essential to the success of the mission, with German officers deploying to Spain to assist in the field. This cross-border strategy allowed for the real-time exchange of intelligence and a deeper analysis of the group's complex organizational structure. By combining resources and expertise, the different national agencies were able to identify the key players and map out the broader network beyond local borders.
Europol played a central role in the operation by providing analytical support and coordinating the flow of information between countries. Their involvement helped centralize data on the group's dispersed activities, which often appear as minor local offenses but are actually part of a massive global enterprise. This unified approach aims to permanently disrupt the group's influence by seizing assets and dismantling the recruitment pipelines they rely on for their criminal endeavors.
Source: Spain Makes 34 Arrests During Major Action Against Black Axe Criminal Group