August 28, 2024
3 mins read

Global law enforcement engaged in tech battle against Nigerian mafia

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has arrested over 300 individuals connected to Black Axe, one of West Africa’s most notorious criminal networks, as well as other affiliated groups. This sweeping crackdown was part of “Operation Jackal III,” a series of covert missions carried out across 21 countries between April and July 2024.

According to BBC reports on Wednesday, the operation targeted highly-coordinated cybercrime groups responsible for global cyber-enabled financial fraud and other severe criminal activities.

Interpol described the operation as a “major blow” to the Nigerian crime network but cautioned that Black Axe remains a global threat due to its extensive reach and technological sophistication. The crackdown led to the seizure of $3 million in illegal assets and the freezing of more than 700 bank accounts.

Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, highlighted the role of financial technology and cryptocurrency in facilitating the operations of these cybercrime syndicates, which are notorious for multi-million dollar online scams. “They are very organized and structured. These criminal syndicates are early adopters of new technologies… A lot of fintech developments make it easy to illegally move money around the world,” Kaya explained.

Black Axe, a secretive criminal network involved in activities such as trafficking, prostitution, and murder, relies heavily on cybercrime as its primary revenue source. Many members of the group are university-educated, having been recruited during their academic years. A 2022 Interpol report stated that Black Axe and similar groups are behind the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud and numerous other serious crimes.

Since 2022, multiple police operations under the “Jackal” banner have been conducted, resulting in the arrests of dozens of Black Axe members and their affiliates, along with the seizure of electronic devices. For instance, in 2017, Canadian authorities dismantled a money-laundering scheme linked to Black Axe valued at over $5 billion (£3.8 billion).

Addressing the challenges posed by such sophisticated criminal organizations requires significant technological expertise and specialized personnel. Interpol has launched the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments system, which enables authorities across its 196 member countries to freeze bank accounts worldwide with unprecedented speed. This system was instrumental in halting a $40 million scam targeting a Singaporean business in July 2024.

Kaya emphasized the importance of data collection and collaboration among countries to effectively counter these groups. “We need to have data and to collate our findings from these countries to help build a picture of their modus operandi. If we can gather this data, we can take action,” he noted.

Dr. Oluwole Ojewale, West Africa Regional Coordinator from the Institute for Security Studies, criticized the government’s failure to effectively combat criminal organizations like Black Axe. He also pointed out that politicians often exploit these syndicates for personal gain, equipping them with resources to defraud innocent people and commit various crimes.

“The general failure of governance in the country has put pressure on people to be initiated (into the Black Axe). It is the politicians who are arming these boys,” he asserted. Ojewale stressed that prevention should be prioritized over direct operations against these criminal groups.

In February 2024, President Bola Tinubu pledged to enhance support for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to boost its capacity to tackle digital offenses. He condemned the “mislabeling and blanket stereotyping” of Nigeria as a country with the highest prevalence of cybercrime and other corrupt practices.

In November 2023, the Nigerian Senate raised concerns about the annual loss of $500 million due to various forms of cybercrime across the country, warning that inadequate funding for the national cybersecurity program could undermine the benefits of the digital economy.

The report also noted that Interpol’s Jackal operations originated in Ireland. In 2020, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) identified 1,000 individuals linked to Black Axe and arrested several members, leading to the exposure of a more extensive network. Michael Cryan, a detective superintendent at GNECB who led the operation, revealed that Ireland had seen a surge in money laundering activities tied to Black Axe.

“They were very under the radar, very low-key. The amount of money being laundered through Ireland was astronomical. Bank robberies are now done with laptops – they are far more sophisticated. This is not a typical or ordinary crime… People who make decisions need to know how serious this is,” Cryan said.

He estimated that €200 million ($220 million; £170 million) had been stolen online in Ireland over the past five years, and this figure only accounts for the 20% of cybercrimes believed to be reported. Additionally, more than €1 million in crypto-assets were seized during one operation.

Credit: BBC

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