Gardaí in conjunction with Interpol have arrested and charged 33 people for money laundering as part of a global investigation targeting West African organised crime.
The investigation, dubbed "Operation Jackal", was led by law enforcement agencies in May across 21 countries in six continents and targeted cybercrime groups such as Nigerian criminal gang "Black Axe," Interpol said in a statement.
The international policing organisation said it was closing ranks on West African organised crime after recently seizing more than €2 million.
Gardaí said as part of the operation there were:
- Three premises searched in Dublin, Wicklow and Longford;
- Nine people arrested and detained under organised crime legislation;
- Four people arrested and detained for money laundering offences;
- 33 people arrested and charged for money laundering;
- One person arrested and charged with gangland offences and money laundering;
- Nine incidents of stolen money recovered from foreign bank accounts;
- And over €400,000 of stolen money recovered for Irish companies.
Led by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), the period of action began in the first months of 2023 and culminated in intensified activity during April and May 2023.
The searches and detentions were co-ordinated by the GNECB and included assistance from local garda units across the country.
In addition, GNECB said it continued to work with financial institutions to put new systems in place for the reporting of money laundering and money mules.
Positive examples of cases where money was recovered from Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud in Ireland include:
Case 1: Complaint by company that over €98,000 was stolen in a BEC fraud and transferred to a bank account in Portugal – working with the financial institution, the payment was cancelled and all the money was recovered.
Case 2: Over €149,000 stolen in a BEC from a victim buying an apartment in Spain. Money was laundered through an account Spain. Working with the financial institution GNECB was able to recover nearly €76,000 laundered through a secondary account in Spain.
Case 3: Over €95,000 stolen in a BEC in the USA in early April 2023 and laundered through an account in Ireland. Working with the financial institution, GNECB was able to freeze and recover over €91,000.
In seven cases involving Irish companies, with over €475,000 cash stolen, over €400,000 was recovered by the GNECB.
Speaking about the results of the operation, assistant commissioner Kelly said: "Operation JACKAL continues to demonstrate our commitment to work internationally, engaging with Law Enforcement partners, such as Interpol, in disrupting the activities of Transnational Organised Crime Groups."
Isaac Kehinde Oginni, director of Interpol's financial crime and anti-corruption centre, said Interpol would pursue the criminal groups relentlessly "no matter where they hide in cyberspace".
