A coordinated operation by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has resulted in the arrest of at least 75 members of the Black Axe cult and the seizure of millions of dollars and expensive valuables.

The project which covered 14 countries and codenamed Operation Jackal was targeted specifically against the Black Axe cult members who had grown brazen in defrauding unsuspecting victims of their savings using the Internet. The victims were from several parts of the world. 

No fewer than 12,000 sim cards were seized from the 75 cult members, arrested across different countries, which provided INTERPOL with investigative leads to identify additional suspects.

The police stated that the cult members used the proceeds of fraud to finance their greed and extravagant lifestyles, which were on full show at the time of their arrest.

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The international police through Operation Jackal, intercepted €1.2 million in several bank accounts, conducted 49 property searches, obtained Purple Notices that detailed the modus operandi of the criminal cult and issued six Red Notices for “internationally-wanted fugitives”.

According to evidence examined by INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), members of the cult are primarily responsible for the majority of global cyber-enabled financial fraud as well as other organised crimes like drug trafficking.

“Illicit financial funds are the lifeblood of transnational organized crime, and we have witnessed how groups like Black Axe will channel money gained from online financial scams into other crime areas, such as drugs and human trafficking. These groups demand a global response,” asserted Stephen Kavanagh, Executive Director of Police Services, INTERPOL.  

Operation Jackal birthed a new program, Anti-Money Laundering Rapid Response Protocol (ARRP), a “stop-payment mechanism” designed to detect and intercept illicit flows of funds.

“The ARRP is a game-changer in the fight against global financial crime, where speed and international cooperation are crucial to intercepting illicit funds before they disappear into the pockets of money mules abroad,” said Rory Corcoran, Director of IFCACC.

Countries that participated in Operation Jackal are Nigeria, Argentina, Australia, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Spain, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.