A garda campaign to alert young people to the dangers of becoming a money mule is to be rolled out in secondary schools and third level colleges in Kerry, where dozens of young people are coming before the courts.
Clubs and community organisations will also form part of the campaign.
The county has experienced a spike in money laundering cases with young people, mainly students, coming before the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee.
Thirty prosecutions have been initiated and there have been 20 convictions so far.
Most of those involved are males between the ages of 17 and 21, the county's Joint Policing Committee has been told.
Several have already pleaded guilty, with sentencing hearings due to take place early in 2024.
Circuit Court Judge Sinead Behan has expressed concern about the numbers coming before her in Tralee, saying young people do not realise the far-reaching consequences.
She urged some of those whose sentencings have been adjourned to speak to colleagues in GAA and other clubs about the dangers.
Meanwhile, money mules are getting younger, the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) in Tralee has heard.
"Money mules are getting younger, so we have to start hitting them younger," Sergeant Michael Quirke, of the Kerry Division’s crime prevention office said.
Some of those who have been before the courts will form part of the campaign, which will include second level schools to warn about the consequences.
Some of the young people involved allow their accounts to be used for the transfer of money by criminal gangs, despite never being inside a bank, with the laundering done through smartphones and online accounts.
But the consequences of a conviction for money laundering under Section 7of The Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 are severe for a young person.
Such a conviction will impinge on travel and visa applications. There are also implications down the line for jobs and mortgage and loan applications, Sgt Quirke said.
The recruiter, who can be via family or someone in their friend network, sells the idea of 'easy money’.
Snapchat is frequently used by recruiters along with fake job offers with big money for ‘working from home’ also used, with the company located abroad - all to get a person into allowing their account to be used.
Romance fraud is also entering the picture again where the romantic attachment is merely a front to gain access to bank accounts by criminal organisations.
"Be cautious about offers of easy money. Easy money is dangerous money," Sgt Quirke said.
Commissions for the transfer of thousands of euro – which the circuit court has heard can be of various currencies including tens of thousands of dollars going through the accounts of Kerry students - can be as little as €50.
The vast majority of the money going through money mules’ accounts in Ireland is the result of fraud "within this country".
Fake texts re tolls, phishing schemes and ‘Hi Mom, I lost my phone’ are among the methods used by criminal gangs, such as the Black Axe Gang in Nigeria, to take money from individuals.
Fake invoicing of small businesses is another. "Money laundering is not a victimless crime," Sgt Quirke said.
And it is growing throughout the country, the crime prevention officer said.
In the first six months of 2023 alone some €17.5 million was laundered - up from €12 million in the same period in 2022 and from €5 million in the first six months of 2021.
Every transaction leaves a trace and gardaí are warning that young people who allow their accounts to be used to launder crime money will be caught.
The campaign, which is already under way through community talks to parents, and campus watch campaign, will outline what to do if approached.
Banks should be contacted immediately as well as gardaí. Sgt Quirke said above all, "do not transfer the money".
