Swiss authorities have arrested 10 suspected members of the Nigeria-linked Black Axe criminal network in a coordinated crackdown targeting alleged romance scams, cyber fraud, and money laundering activities, according to Europol.
The arrests, announced on Tuesday by the European Union law enforcement agency, were carried out in Switzerland with operational support from German police.
Europol said the suspects—most of whom are believed to be of Nigerian origin—are linked to organised online fraud schemes that reportedly caused losses running into millions of Swiss francs.
“The suspects are accused of numerous crimes. This includes romance scams and other cyberfraud offences causing millions of Swiss francs in damages, as well as money laundering,” Europol stated, as reported by Reuters.
The agency, based in The Hague, identified the group as members of the Black Axe network, which has been repeatedly associated by investigators with transnational fraud, violent crime, and organised criminal operations across multiple countries.
Authorities say Black Axe is believed to have evolved from the Neo Black Movement of Africa, a student fraternity formed in the late 1970s, which later developed into what law enforcement agencies now describe as a structured criminal organisation operating internationally.
