German law enforcement authorities announced the arrest of 11 individuals suspected of being affiliated with a Nigerian mafia group known as the Black Axe gang.

The arrests come as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks engaged in fraudulent activities targeting unsuspecting victims, particularly through dating scams.

The Black Axe gang, according to Bavarian police, operated across international borders and was involved in various forms of criminal activity, with a notable focus on dating scams and money laundering operations. The group’s modus operandi involved using false identities to establish romantic connections with individuals, only to exploit their trust and solicit money under false pretenses.

Describing the dating scam as a “modern form of marriage fraud,” authorities highlighted the sophistication of the fraudsters’ tactics, which often involved signaling intentions to marry and subsequently manipulating victims into transferring money on multiple occasions using various pretexts.

The illicitly obtained funds were then funneled back to Nigeria through financial agents, employing a commodity-based money laundering scheme. Under this scheme, products, ostensibly purchased for charitable purposes, were bought and delivered to Nigeria as a means of laundering the proceeds of the fraudulent activities.

The extent of the scam’s impact was underscored by the staggering number of reported cases in the Bavaria region alone, with approximately 450 instances of romance scamming reported in 2023. The financial damages resulting from these scams amounted to a staggering 5.3 million euros ($5.7 million), reflecting the scale of the criminal enterprise.

The suspects, all Nigerian nationals aged between 29 and 53, were apprehended during nationwide raids conducted on Tuesday.