On June 10, in Lecce (Italy), the Carabinieri arrested a counterfeiter and liquidated a complex printing house engaged in counterfeiting money. As a result of the raid, more than 100,000 euros in counterfeit banknotes and more than 10,000 euros in cryptocurrency were seized. This was preceded by arrests of buyers of large quantities of counterfeit banknotes in Italy and France.
Fakes were found in many EU countries.
Law enforcement officers from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain, with the coordination of Europol, have been trying to find a criminal group that includes two more defendants since February 2024. The forgers created very convincing fakes. The banknotes were sold via a popular encrypted messenger.
During the raid on June 10, a printing house was found where euro banknotes of different denominations (5, 10, 20 and 50) were forged. It was equipped with the tools and materials used to make the most sophisticated forgeries.
Law enforcement officers confiscated printing and cutting machines, as well as raw materials for making banknotes and their protective elements. An analysis conducted by the European Central Bank confirmed that the counterfeit security elements on the banknotes, such as holograms, were of high quality. The Carabinieri also confiscated the sellers ' electronic devices, as well as their online channel used to advertise and sell counterfeit banknotes.
According to the investigation, the forgery manufacturers made more than 170 trading operations - buyers could order fake euro banknotes of various denominations through a special communication channel. Manufacturers accepted payments in cryptocurrency and arranged for fakes to be sent by mail.
• Source: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media...cated-banknote-print-shop-dismantled-in-italy
Fakes were found in many EU countries.
Law enforcement officers from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain, with the coordination of Europol, have been trying to find a criminal group that includes two more defendants since February 2024. The forgers created very convincing fakes. The banknotes were sold via a popular encrypted messenger.
During the raid on June 10, a printing house was found where euro banknotes of different denominations (5, 10, 20 and 50) were forged. It was equipped with the tools and materials used to make the most sophisticated forgeries.
Law enforcement officers confiscated printing and cutting machines, as well as raw materials for making banknotes and their protective elements. An analysis conducted by the European Central Bank confirmed that the counterfeit security elements on the banknotes, such as holograms, were of high quality. The Carabinieri also confiscated the sellers ' electronic devices, as well as their online channel used to advertise and sell counterfeit banknotes.
According to the investigation, the forgery manufacturers made more than 170 trading operations - buyers could order fake euro banknotes of various denominations through a special communication channel. Manufacturers accepted payments in cryptocurrency and arranged for fakes to be sent by mail.
• Source: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media...cated-banknote-print-shop-dismantled-in-italy
