Arrests made in Limerick during transnational operation targeting Black Axe organised crime group

SEARCHES have been conducted and arrests have been made in Limerick and Clare as part of major transnational operation which is being led by INTERPOL.

As part of Operation Jackal, involving law-enforcement agencies across 13 countries on four continents, gardai carried out multiple searches and arrested dozens of people over the course of a single week last month.

Known as Operation Skein in Ireland, it is being led by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) with assistance from local gardai and specialist units across the country.

An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with @INTERPOL_HQ and Law Enforcement Agencies across 13 countries on 4 Continents carried out enforcement activity under Operation Jackal.https://t.co/CinJikPDhj

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) October 14, 2022

The searches of premises in Dublin and Clare and the associated arrests were conducted by GNECB while other arrests (for the purpose of preferring charges) were conducted members from by local garda divisions such as Limerick.

Gardai say they were supported by two seconded members from INTERPOL during the week-of-action.

Operation Skein, is an ongoing investigation into international Business Email Compromise / Invoice re-direct/ Romance fraud offences which are being committed from Ireland, and the laundering of the proceeds through accounts in this jurisdiction.

Gardaí and Interpol are focussed on the activities of the Black Axe organised crime group, which has a global footprint. They said it is involved in online fraud, human trafficking, drugs and gun crime, as well as murder.

“Illicit financial funds are the lifeblood of transnational organised 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,” said Stephen Kavanagh, Executive Director of Police Services, INTERPOL.

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To date, 69 people have been arrested under organised crime legislation while 195 persons have been arrested for money laundering offences.

A further 77 arrests have been made by GNEB while 187 people have been arrested by local gardai across the country.

Of those arrested, almost 80 have been charged and brought before the courts.

The exact number of arrests in Limerick has not been disclosed.