Europol has supported a Swiss-led investigation that resulted in 10 arrests linked to the notorious Nigerian Black Axe gang.
In a statement released this week, Europol said coordinated searches carried out on April 28th 2026 across several Swiss cantons led to the arrests, including that of the group’s alleged “Regional Head” for the Southern European region.
The agency said the operation focused on senior figures and members of what it described as an international criminal organisation involved in a range of offences.
“House searches were carried out in several Swiss cantons, resulting in a total of 10 arrests,” Europol said.
“This operation targeted leaders and members of the Nigerian brotherhood suspected of being active internationally in a wide range of criminal activities.”
Officials said the suspects are accused of multiple offences, including romance scams and other forms of cyber fraud, as well as laundering illicit proceeds.
“This includes romance scams and other cyber fraud offences causing millions of Swiss francs in damages, as well as money laundering,” Europol said.
Police searched homes and storage units across Zurich and five other cantons during the operation, with most of those arrested reported to be of Nigerian origin.
Europol said it played a central role in assisting the investigation through intelligence analysis and coordination between jurisdictions.
“This operation was supported by Europol through a range of services, including information analysis,” the agency said.
Europol also pointed to its role in tracking the group’s structure across borders and facilitating cooperation between national authorities.
“Europol has been instrumental in mapping the group’s structure across countries, centralising information, sharing relevant intelligence packages, and supporting coordinated national investigations,” it said.
Investigators described Black Axe as a structured and hierarchical organisation with a presence in multiple regions worldwide.
“Black Axe, formally linked to the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, is a highly structured, hierarchical group with a global presence,” Europol said.
The group divides its operations into dozens of zones in Nigeria and abroad, with hundreds of members in each, alongside a broader network of facilitators.
Authorities said the organisation has been linked to a wide range of criminal activity beyond cyber fraud.
“The criminal network is known for its involvement in a wide range of criminal activities, including cyber-enabled fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking and prostitution, kidnapping, armed robbery and fraudulent spiritual practices,” Europol said.
The agency added that the group’s earnings are believed to be substantial.
“The group’s annual criminal proceeds are estimated to be in the billions of euros,” it said.
Europol claims they have in excess of 30,000 members worldwide.
The Swiss operation forms part of broader international efforts to target the network, with previous arrests carried out in other European countries.
Separately, as previously reported on Gript, data published in 2024 by Interpol in relation to a global crackdown on West African organised crime groups indicates that Ireland accounted for around one in five arrests made worldwide.
That initiative, known as Operation JACKAL, involved law enforcement agencies across 21 countries on six continents, including An Garda Síochána.
Interpol has identified Black Axe as a prominent cybercrime group internationally, while also linking it to activities such as arms trafficking and people smuggling.