Swiss police have arrested 10 suspected members of the Nigerian-linked Black Axe crime gang.

According to Europol, the suspects were arrested on Tuesday on the accusation of carrying out romance scams that caused millions of Swiss francs in losses, alongside money-laundering operations designed to move illicit profits through international financial networks.

The arrests are part of a broader international crackdown on West African organised crime groups operating in Europe.

Spanish police had detained 34 suspected Black Axe members, while a coordinated international crackdown in 2023 led to more than 100 arrests and the seizure of over 200 bank accounts linked to online fraud networks.

“The suspects are accused of numerous crimes. This includes romance scams and other cyberfraud offences causing millions of Swiss francs in damages, as well as money laundering,” Europol said, which is headquartered in The Hague, in a statement.

The pan-European police body said 10 people – most of whom are of Nigerian origin – had been arrested in the operation that also involved German police. The Swiss operation against the Black Axe crime gang follows a similar operation carried out by Spanish police in January, while global police body Interpol had also targeted it in 2023.