The National Crime Agency (NCA) in London has arrested three members of a cyber hacking group who was originally claimed as being linked with the attack on Qantas.

According to reports coming out of the UK two 19-year-old men, a 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of blackmail, money laundering, organized crime and contravening the Computer Misuse Act.

These arrests are part of an investigation into a series of cyberattacks on retailers and aviation Companies claim authorities.

At this stage we are trying to ascertain whether this is the same qroup that recently hacked Qantas who has confirmed that 5.7 million people have been impacted after their stole customers’ data and Qantas profiles were stolen said one insider.

On July 1st, Qantas disclosed that it had detected a cyberattack with security groups claiming had similarities with other attacks on the aviation industry linked to threat actors classified as Scattered Spider.

The hack threatened to identify members of Qantas’s exclusive invitation-only Chairman’s Lounge, the guest list of which was a closely guarded secret.

Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson has stressed no financial details or passport information were stored on that platform, which has now been secured.

Those arrested in the UK are believed to be affiliated with the notorious cybercrime gang Scattered Spider, which cybersecurity experts have linked to the hacks of three  UK retailers and aviation businesses.

Police arrested the suspects at their homes in West Midlands and London, seizing multiple electronic devices that will be analyzed for forensic evidence.

“Since these attacks took place, specialist NCA cybercrime investigators have been working at pace and the investigation remains one of the agency’s highest priorities,” Deputy Director Paul Foster said in a statement.

The West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit assisted the NCA in the operation.

Foster said the arrests marked a significant step in the probe, although work continues with partner agencies in the U.K. and elsewhere to identify and arrest more suspected hackers.

UK retailer Marks & Spencer was attacked in April and was forced to shut down its online store for over a month.

Unlike some ransomware gangs, Scattered Spider is a loose group of affiliates.

The group — characterised by cyber security experts as male, trash-talking, English-speaking fraudsters — typically steals data for the purpose of extortion.

Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said the arrests marked a “significant step” in its investigation.

“But our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice,” he said.

At this stage it’s believed that the overseas agencies working with UK authorities included Australian and US authorities.