Police sources in Ireland have accused the Black Axe, a global confraternity with Nigerian origin, of involving teenagers in its criminal operations.

According to an article published by the Irish Independent on Thursday, the sources claimed members of the confraternity had penetrated every part of the European country to the point that 16-year-old secondary school students were now being used as money launderers.

Background checks carried out by the police showed that the teenagers used for the fraudulent operations had no prior criminal records.

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The sources said that during the police’s latest operation, “Operation Mullet”, investigations led to a discovery that the teenagers, generally referred to as money mules, assisted the Black Axe in laundering €1.3 million in Kerry, a county in the southwestern part of Ireland.

The investigation also led to the arrest and prosecution of 32 people believed to be in charge of money laundering operations in the area.

“Unfortunately, the situation in Kerry is only the tip of the iceberg, particularly in rural Ireland,” one of the sources was quoted to have said.

Up to 60 money mules have been identified in the Kerry investigation.

Apart from Kerry, officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) have also identified significant Black Axe networks in other rural locations in Ireland.

“It (Black Axe operations) is everywhere – simple as that,” a source was quoted to have said.

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Majority of the teens who were used as money mules got into trouble with the law after allowing their bank accounts to be controlled by third parties they had never physically met before.

These third parties are generally referred to as the ‘herders’.

“A main player has been identified in the Kerry investigation, but what needs to be noted is that this organisation is operating across the country – in every county,” another source was quoted to have said.

“And, yes, they are taking advantage of secondary school pupils as well as third-level students.

“As part of the wider Garda investigation called Operation Skein, investigations have established that the gang have been targeting juveniles and adult teenagers in an educational context.

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“These are kids financially short of disposable money for many reasons. They get manipulated and allow their bank accounts to be taken over. The consequences of this are massive for the students.”

The investigation also revealed that €10 million was laundered through bank accounts controlled by a suspect, who has now been arrested.

The unnamed 41-year-old suspect was arrested by GNECB officers during a planned search at a location in north Leinster on Monday.