LAGOS, Sept 25 (AGCNewsNet) - A series of undercover operations, known as "Operation Jackal," has dealt a significant blow to Nigeria’s notorious Black Axe criminal network, according to Interpol. The international police organization confirmed that 300 arrests were made, $3 million seized, and 720 bank accounts blocked across five continents. Despite this success, authorities warn that the group’s global reach and technological sophistication mean much more work remains.

The investigations, which targeted Black Axe and other West African organized crime groups, uncovered a sprawling network responsible for various financial crimes, including online fraud and money laundering schemes. In one major bust, Canadian authorities exposed a money-laundering operation linked to Black Axe that processed more than $5 billion.

“They are very organised and very structured,” said Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, in an interview with the BBC. According to a 2022 Interpol report, Black Axe and similar groups are behind the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud. Recent technological innovations, particularly in cryptocurrency and money-transfer software, have facilitated their global operations.

The international operations also led to arrests in Germany, where officials detained 11 suspected Black Axe members involved in online dating scams. The suspects, all Nigerian nationals living in Germany, were accused of using fake identities to extort money from victims. In the German region of Bavaria alone, dating scams linked to Black Axe reportedly cost victims $5.7 million in 2023.

The criminal group, which emerged in 1977 as a university confraternity in Nigeria, has grown into a global syndicate with an estimated membership of 30,000. Initially formed to promote anti-colonialism and pan-African unity, the group evolved into a violent organisation notorious for advance fee scams, also known as “419 fraud.” These schemes involve scammers posing as individuals needing help transferring funds, offering victims a commission in exchange for access to their bank accounts.

Black Axe’s operations span more than 40 countries, with members using money mules to open bank accounts worldwide. Interpol officials report that the group has systematically expanded its influence, with regional "heads" collecting dues and coordinating operations from Nigeria’s Edo State.

Interpol’s Jackal operations began in Ireland, where raids by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau in 2020 led to the arrest of several Black Axe members. This marked the beginning of a larger investigation into the group’s international network. By 2023, Irish authorities had identified over 1,000 individuals linked to Black Axe.

AGCNewsNet learnt that the use of cryptocurrency has become a key element in Black Axe’s money-laundering activities. In response, Interpol has launched the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments system, allowing authorities to freeze bank accounts worldwide with unprecedented speed.

“The volume of financial fraud stemming from West Africa is alarming and increasing,” said Isaac Oginni, director of Interpol’s financial crime centre. Referring to the recent arrests, Oginni emphasised the importance of international collaboration to combat organised crime, adding, “By identifying suspects, recovering illicit funds, and putting some of West Africa’s most dangerous criminal leaders behind bars, we are able to weaken their influence and reduce their capacity to harm communities around the world.”

Despite recent successes, authorities stress that Black Axe’s global presence and advanced technological capabilities mean that efforts to dismantle the syndicate must continue.