A man suspected of recruiting money mules and managing their bank accounts has been arrested in Dublin.
Gardaí searched a house in Tallaght yesterday and seized a Range Rover, passports, bank cards, cash and 30 mobile phones.
Gardai say the search is part of a larger investigation into incidents of fraud in jurisdictions including Norway, Germany, the USA, Hawaii and Ireland, and the subsequent laundering of money.
A high value Range Rover, believed to have been bought with the proceeds of crime, was seized, along with passports, bank cards in names of suspected money mules, bank account details, cash in euros and dollars, a cash counting machine, 30 mobile phones, and a computer and a laptop.
A man in his early 20s is being questioned at a garda station in Dublin, and gardai say he's a suspected money mule herder - recruiting money mules and managing their bank accounts.
Officers say up to 50 different money mules are identified as having laundered almost 200-thousand euro through his bank accounts in Ireland, Germany and Belgium.
Investigation
A garda spokesperson says: "Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) have arrested one man and seized a number of items of evidential value during the course of a search of a residence in West Tallaght, Dublin 24, on Monday 14th August 2023.
"The search was conducted as part of a larger investigation into incidents of fraud in jurisdictions including Norway, Germany, the USA, Hawaii and Ireland and the subsequent laundering of money through money mule accounts, businesses and trade-based money laundering operations.
"During the course of this search, a high valued Range Rover, which is suspected to have been purchased with the proceeds of crime, was seized along with the following items:
• A number of Passports
• Bank cards in family names and names of suspected money mules
• Bank account details
• Details of registered companies and businesses
• Cash in euros and dollars
• A note teller (cash counting machine)
• 30 mobile phones
• A desktop computer and laptop
"A man in his early 20s was arrested for an offence contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and is currently detained at a Garda station in Dublin.
"This male was identified as being a suspected money mule herder recruiting money mules and managing their bank accounts.
"Up to 50 different money mules are identified as having laundered over €196,000 through his bank accounts in Ireland, Germany and Belgium. This money came from victims of mainly smishing frauds in Ireland, was initially laundered through these 50 money mule accounts and then forwarded by the money mules to the suspects’ three bank accounts.
"A man in his 50s was also arrested during the course of this search for immigration offences and was later refused leave to land. He is being detained pending his removal from this jurisdiction.
"Investigations are ongoing."
