Swiss police arrest 10 suspected members of Nigeria-linked crime group Black Axe

Swiss and German law enforcement have arrested 10 suspected members of the Nigerian criminal network Black Axe, including a regional leader believed to oversee operations in Southern Europe, authorities said on Tuesday.

The arrests followed house searches across several Swiss cantons, according to a statement from Europol and Zurich authorities. The suspects, aged between 32 and 54, are accused of carrying out romance scams that caused millions of Swiss francs in losses, alongside money-laundering operations designed to move illicit profits through international financial networks.

Black Axe, formally linked to the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, is regarded by law enforcement as a highly structured transnational criminal organization with a global presence. The network divides its territory into dozens of operational zones — roughly 60 in Nigeria and about 35 abroad — with each zone estimated to include around 200 members.

Overall, authorities believe the group has about 30,000 registered members worldwide, supported by extensive networks of associates, including money mules and facilitators who help move stolen funds.

The arrests are part of a broader international crackdown on West African organized crime groups operating in Europe. Earlier this year, Spanish police detained 34 suspected Black Axe members, while a coordinated international crackdown in 2023 led to more than 100 arrests and the seizure of over 200 bank accounts linked to online fraud networks.

The organization enforces strict internal hierarchies, ritualized initiation practices and codes of conduct, allowing it to operate as a tightly controlled criminal enterprise.

The group has long been linked to a broad spectrum of crimes, including cyber-enabled fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, kidnapping and armed robbery. Europol estimates that the network generates billions of euros annually through thousands of small-scale criminal operations.

Black Axe traces its origins to a Nigerian student fraternity founded in the late 1970s known as the Neo-Black Movement of Africa. Over decades, authorities say it evolved into a violent criminal network heavily involved in online financial scams and other transnational crimes.