Police detain 11 "money mules" and couriers in October amid recruitment of young people

Latvia's State Police detained 11 people in October 2026 for involvement in fraud schemes as "money mules" or couriers – people who collect, forward or hand over money taken from victims. Police warn that young people are being actively recruited for this "work" and note that taking part can lead to lengthy prison terms.

Courier who moved cash abroad

On 14 October, the State Police Cybercrime Combating Department detained a courier born in 1959. He had been hired by a foreign criminal group that in July spread misleading social media advertisements featuring AI-generated videos and images in which state officials supposedly promoted investment opportunities. The courier collected cash from victims and delivered it to designated addresses, including outside Latvia. He received instructions by phone and messaging apps and had never met his employer. The department also detained four "money mules" in October.

Parcel locker scheme in Riga

In October, a man born in 1976 and his wife reported to the Riga Pārdaugava division that between 12 and 14 October phone fraudsters had taken 67,690 euros and three bank cards from them. The callers posed first as a bank employee and later as a police officer. The victims sent their bank cards and cash withdrawn from their accounts through parcel lockers. Four people born in 2009, 2007, 1997 and 1994 were detained in Riga and Olaine; the organisers had sought "mules" on Telegram. During searches, 2,900 euros that likely belonged to the victim were found on one detainee. On 26 October, a further man born in 2002 was detained in a separate case after arriving at a victim's home to collect money.

Envelope for a courier

A woman born in 1957 reported to the Riga Eastern division that at the end of September fraudsters, posing as bank and police staff, persuaded her to "declare" her cash and hand it to a courier in an envelope. On 23 September she handed over 2,300 euros. A courier born in 2008 was detained for this crime on 21 October.

Penalties

Fraud on a large scale or by an organised group carries two to ten years in prison; laundering criminally obtained funds under the same conditions carries three to 12 years. Police urge people to refuse job offers that involve receiving or transporting other people's money. No one is considered guilty until proven so in accordance with the law.