PREMISES IN CLARE were searched by Interpol and An Garda Síochána as part of a worldwide clampdown into online scams including romance frauds.
An Garda Síochána and INTERPOL combined with law enforcement agencies across thirteen countries on four continents under Operation JACKAL.
A total of nine premises between Clare and Dublin were searched, elven persons were arrested and detained under organised crime legislation, 23 persons were arrested for the purpose of charging, 62 charges of money laundering were made and three organised crime offences.
As part of this, a week of international Law Enforcement action was planned for the week commencing the 26th of September 2022. Led by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) due to the volume of arrests/ detentions/ charges in Ireland, the period of action commenced in mid-August. The searches and detentions were conducted by GNECB. The arrests for charging were conducted by local districts such as Tallaght, Tralee, Portlaoise, Navan, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. An Garda Síochána operations were supported by two seconded members from INTERPOL.
Operation JACKAL is called Operation SKEIN in Ireland, it is an ongoing investigation into international Business Email Compromise (BEC, invoice re-direct, romance fraud being committed from Ireland, and the laundering of the proceeds through accounts in this jurisdiction.
It is the assessment of GNECB/ INTERPOL that this Criminal Organisation is the Black AXE, a Criminal Organisation formed in West Africa in the mid-1970s and which is now operating worldwide. This investigation began with a request for assistance from an EU country, via EUROPOL in early 2020. €1.1 million was stolen in a BEC fraud and laundered through Asia. The fake emails originated from Ireland. Electronic devices seized during this investigation, analysed in co-operation with International Law Enforcement indicated for the first time that this Criminal Organisation was operating from Ireland and not just laundering through Ireland.
To date, investigations can link just over €40 million as having been stolen and so laundered. In excess of another €10 million laundered using the same MO is being considered as to whether it is connected to this Criminal Organisation. A previous GNECB investigation, called Operation JOGGLE, identified another €14 million as laundered in the same fashion.
It is the current assessment of GNECB that all these are connected which shows that over €64 million has laundered through Ireland. The assessment of GNECB is based on briefings received from Police forces worldwide on the MOs used, intelligence received and the results of analysis and assessment of evidence gathered as part of this ongoing investigation. This evidence is from bank accounts uplifted, arrests of suspects and analysis of phones and other devices seized.
To date, over 40 devices containing valuable intelligence, information and evidence have been seized, downloaded, assessed and analysed. Assistance was sought from international Police Forces through EUROPOL to assist with the examination and analysis of these phones. GNECB have worked with INTERPOL on this investigation and have attended and briefed international Law Enforcement at operational meetings.
The bank accounts used to launder this €64 odd million money belongs to Irish residents who are recruited as money mules by what are known as mule herders. Money mules are recruited via social media or through friends or at parties. On some occasions, young people with drug debts pay off their drug debts by allowing their accounts to be used.
Money mules are also recruited in other EU countries and flown to Ireland where they are given false KYC (Know Your Customer) documents (Proof of address etc…), they open accounts and hand the accounts over to their herder.
Italian, British, Portuguese, Maltese, Dutch and Belgian IDs have been identified as used in this enterprise. Many of documents purporting to be from these countries are false but genuine documents have also been recovered.
New trends now involve Irish nationals being flown to other EU countries, given fake KYCs and told to open accounts. These accounts are then used to launder.
Money mules are incorrectly being informed by their recruiters that once their financial account is used outside Ireland nothing can be done to them. This is incorrect. They are committing money laundering in Ireland and could also be extradited to international jurisdictions to face money laundering charges there as the primary offence occurred there.
While GNECB has identified in excess of 800 money mules directly linked to this International Criminal Organisation, GNECB estimate that there are at least 4000 money mules linked to the investigation who have used Irish addresses. The vast majority are younger people in all corners of Ireland.
There was three facets to the plan in Ireland – conduct searches for evidence, arrest detain and question suspects, arrest and charges suspects where directions have been received from the DPP.
To date it is estimated that 69 persons have been arrested under organised crime legislation, 195 persons have been arrested for money laundering offences, 135 persons have been charged, there have been 77 arrests by GNECB and 187 arrests by Local District Investigators
Due to the volume of reports, cases, suspects, GNECB submit investigative packages to local districts for suspects to be arrested and investigated locally. GNECB continues to work with financial institutions to put new systems in place for the reporting of money laundering and money mules.
