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Swiss claim success in international cybercrime case

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Experts have warned that international cybercrime needs increased cooperation between cross-border law enforcement agencies Keystone

Two people suspected of illegally obtaining and using the e-banking data of Swiss bank customers have been arrested in the Netherlands.

The Swiss Office of the Attorney General says the suspects were arrested near the city of Rotterdam and premises were searched in the coordinated operation between Dutch and Swiss police and justice authorities.

The Swiss authorities say criminal proceedings into alleged computer fraud have been underway for 14 months, targeting an internationally active group which used spam emails and telephone calls to obtain the sensitive data, a method known as phishing.

The Federal Office of Justice has requested the extradition of one of the detainees, the attorney generals’ officeExternal link said on Wednesday.

Such cross-border crackdowns against cybercrime are rare, but the federal prosecutor said the latest example showed how “law enforcement in the field of cybercrime must be tackled at a global level”.

In March, the head of the Swiss financial watchdog said Swiss banks face around 100 attacks each day on their electronic systems.

+ FINMA chief says Switzerland must step up fight against cybercrime

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