Over €20m linked to money laundering investigations, Garda figures show

Over 400 bank accounts have been identified by Gardaí amid a "significant increase" in money mule activity.

As part of the European Money Mule Action (EMMA) Awareness day, Gardaí released figures relating to Operation SKEIN.

The operation, being carried out by the Payment Crime Unit attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau is currently targeting an international organised crime group involved in cyber-enabled frauds, such as invoice redirection fraud.

Gardaí said over €20 million has been laundered through Irish bank accounts in respect of these crimes to date, while over 300 people have been identified as being associated with the crime group in question.

Twenty-four people have been arrested, six of whom have been charged with various offences, including money laundering and activities relating to organised crime. Files relating to 18 more people are currently with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pending direction, a statement from Gardaí added.

Over the last few months, SKEIN has seen joint operations carried out in the Kildare, Kerry and Longford Divisions, targetting "significant players in the organisation".

Gardaí are also working with Europol, Interpol, Eurojust and police forces from around the world to disrupt the activities of the criminals and investigations into the matter are ongoing.