European authorities have arrested 34 suspected members of the Black Axe cult in a coordinated operation across Spain, with 10 of those detained identified as Nigerian nationals.
Europol said 28 arrests were made in Seville, alongside three in Madrid, two in Málaga and one in Barcelona, following joint investigations with Spanish and German authorities.
The suspects are accused of involvement in cyber-enabled fraud and other serious crimes. According to Europol, Black Axe is a highly structured and hierarchical criminal group with origins in Nigeria and a presence in dozens of countries worldwide.
The group is linked to a wide range of criminal activities, including online fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking and prostitution, kidnapping, armed robbery and fraudulent spiritual practices.
Europol estimated that the organisation generates billions of euros annually through numerous small-scale operations, with investigators linking the network to fraud losses exceeding €5.93 million.
During the operation, authorities froze €119,352 in bank accounts and seized €66,403 in cash during house searches.
Europol added that Black Axe, formally associated with the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, operates through about 60 zones in Nigeria and 35 abroad, with roughly 200 members per zone, bringing its estimated membership to around 30,000, alongside numerous facilitators and money mules.