By Cormac O’keeffe, Security Correspondent,Irishexaminer.com

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Detectives are trying to break into his phones — a process that can take some time — and are conducting inquiries to figure out if the man is linked to the infamous Black Axe gang or some other international fraud network or if he is running his own outfit.

He was arrested last Saturday under special gang legislation which allows for arrest — on applications to the courts — for up to seven days.

In linked operations last Saturday and Monday, officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) seized more than €320,000 in cash and recovered almost 60 fraudulent bank cards, around 20 false identity documents and a large number of mobile phones.

€750k withdrawn from ATMs over two weeks

It is estimated €750,000 was withdrawn from ATMs in just the last two weeks, but gardaí do not yet know if that is a typical two-week period for this gang.

The money — suspected to be from business email fraud and other frauds carried out around the world — is lodged into accounts, primarily in Poland, and then withdrawn in Ireland.

The main suspect, aged in his 30s, has a home with his wife on the outskirts of Cork, where they have a number of children.

It is understood he has Irish citizenship and has been living here for 20 years. He has a business in Cork and also works a number of days in a major tech company in Dublin.

He was arrested by GNECB officers in Lucan, west Dublin, last Saturday, after withdrawing cash and returning to his car. Around €17,000 in cash was recovered from the car.

Gardaí also searched a property in Dublin, where they arrested a woman. A Nigerian national, she is suspected of being brought in to help with the withdrawals. Nothing was found in her home and she was released.

Gardaí then searched the man’s home, just outside Cork City, and seized almost €70,000 in cash, 57 bank cards and false IDs.

Gardaí identified the man rented a room in an apartment in Lucan and searched that on Monday. They recovered almost €237,000 in cash, along with nine passports, five driving licences, and three identity cards.