Spanish police, Europol strike against Black Axe cell in multi-province arrests photo

Spanish authorities have detained 34 individuals in a nationwide sweep targeting the international criminal network known as “Black Axe,” on charges that include fraud, money laundering, and document falsification, Europol announced on January 9.

Black Axe, which emerged in Nigeria in the late 1970s as a student confraternity, has since transformed into a highly structured and violent criminal organisation, primarily engaged in cyber-enabled financial crime.

The arrests took place across multiple Spanish provinces, stretching from Seville in the south to Barcelona in the northeast, and were carried out with operational support from Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency. According to Europol, the action was conducted in coordination with German authorities as part of a broader investigation.

The group is accused of recruiting money mules in economically disadvantaged regions of Spain, where unemployment is high. “Most of these vulnerable individuals are Spanish nationals and are exploited to facilitate the network’s criminal activities,” Europol said in its statement.

Investigators estimate that the organisation defrauded its victims of more than 5.9 million euros (approximately $6.87 million).

By Tamilla Hasanova