Black Axe leader now top target for gardaí monitoring cyber fraud
West African conman heads massive crime gang of up to 1,100 people in Ireland operating scams
One of the most powerful organised criminals in Ireland has amassed a fortune without any involvement in the drugs trade. The west African man, aged in his 50s, is the leader of the Black Axe gang in Ireland and is public enemy number one for the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB).
His house in south-west Dublin is modest, but he is also known to enjoy the finer things in life. He presides over a major criminal network, with over 70 lieutenants working directly under him in Ireland.
“The leader of the Black Axe gang in Ireland is a major target of ours. He is a very good conman,” Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mulleady said.
“The gang are behind a significant amount of the cyber crime and fraud committed here. We are arresting members of the organisation every week.
“We estimate there are around 1,100 people linked to the Black Axe gang in Ireland. It has a very defined structure and there are around 70 people here who are on the higher level of its network.
“As of last June, we’d made 377 arrests, but that figure is far higher now with more arrests every week.
“We use gangland legislation to target the leaders. We have five members of the Black Axe convicted of gangland offences and one for directing a criminal organisation. We target them under Operation Skein and they’re a major focus of the GNECB.”
Det Chief Supt Mulleady said many young people are being sucked into the gang as “money mules”, transferring cash through their bank accounts on the gang’s behalf to launder it.
“It’s easy money, and some young people don’t see the harm in it. They get a couple of hundred euro for making a simple bank transfer,” he said.
“But it’s very serious when gardaí identify money mules and knock on their door. Money laundering is a very serious criminal conviction, and people need to be aware of that. It prevents people from getting a visa to travel,