Spanish police disrupt global Black Axe network, arrest alleged leaders

Key Findings:

• Spanish National Police, in cooperation with Europol and Bavarian authorities, arrested 34 alleged members of the Black Axe criminal network, including 10 Nigerian nationals believed to be leaders.

• The coordinated law enforcement operation took place in Seville, Madrid, Malaga, and Barcelona, significantly disrupting the group's activities.

• Black Axe is a highly structured, hierarchical criminal organization with origins in Nigeria and a global presence in dozens of countries.

• The group is linked to various criminal activities, including business email compromise (BEC) scams, money laundering, vehicle trafficking, drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, and armed robbery.

• Europol estimates the group is responsible for more than $6.9 million in fraud losses.

Background

Black Axe is a transnational criminal organization that specializes in adversary-in-the-middle scams, such as business email compromise (BEC), as well as other illicit activities. The group is known for its hierarchical structure and global reach, with an estimated 30,000 registered members and numerous affiliates, such as money mules and facilitators.

Operation Details

The Spanish National Police began investigating the Black Axe group in September 2023, leading to a joint operation with Europol and Bavarian authorities. The coordinated law enforcement action resulted in the arrest of 34 suspected members, including 10 Nigerian nationals believed to be leaders of the organization.

The operation spanned four cities in Spain: Seville, Madrid, Malaga, and Barcelona. Authorities targeted the group's leadership and froze $139,000 in bank accounts. Additionally, they seized $77,000 in cash, five vehicles, and devices allegedly used for criminal activities.

Criminal Activities

Black Axe is known for its involvement in a wide range of criminal activities, including:

• Business email compromise (BEC) scams

• Money laundering

• Vehicle trafficking

• Drug trafficking

• Human trafficking and prostitution

• Kidnapping

• Armed robbery

Europol investigators estimate that the group is responsible for more than $6.9 million in fraud losses.

Recruitment and Structure

Black Axe is a highly structured and hierarchical criminal organization with its origins in Nigeria. The group operates through a network of approximately 60 zones in Nigeria and 35 overseas zones, each with around 200 members. In total, the organization is estimated to have around 30,000 registered members, supported by numerous affiliates, such as money mules and facilitators.

The group allegedly recruited vulnerable individuals, mainly Spanish nationals from high-unemployment areas, to serve as money mules and facilitate the network's criminal activities.

Conclusion

The joint operation between Spanish, Bavarian, and Europol authorities has resulted in a significant disruption to the Black Axe criminal network's activities. The arrest of 34 suspects, including 10 alleged leaders, and the seizure of assets are expected to have a substantial impact on the group's global operations. Authorities will continue to work together to dismantle this highly structured and hierarchical criminal organization.

Sources

• https://cyberscoop.com/black-axe-disruption-arrests-spain/

• https://securityaffairs.com/186819/security/europol-and-spanish-police-arrest-34-in-crackdown-on-black-axe-criminal-network.html