The Spanish police, in cooperation with EUROPOL, have arrested 43 people suspected of a crime of introducing counterfeit currency into the financial system, specifically 20 and 50 euro fake banknotes.
The two suspected of being the main responsible for these acts were arrested in the province of Huelva. Police believe they were in charge of selling the counterfeit currency.
The other 41 detainees are suspected of knowingly buying counterfeit banknotes and were detained throughout the country.
According to the police, arrests have been made in the provinces of Alicante, Asturias, Ávila, the Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Cáceres, Cádiz, Cantabria, Huelva, Jaén, La Coruña, La Rioja, Lugo, Madrid, Málaga, Pontevedra, Seville and Toledo.
The investigation began in November 2020, when police officers learned of a profile on a well-known social network, where counterfeit 20 and 50 euro banknotes were sold, and which had 1,620 subscribers.
Houses searched
🚩Operación de la @policia contra la introducción de moneda falsa en el circuito financiero
— Policía Nacional (@policia) November 12, 2021
Hay 43 detenidos, y los principales responsables operaban desde #Huelva
Vendían billetes falsos de 20 y 50 euros💶 a través de una conocida red social que contaba con 1.620 suscriptores pic.twitter.com/bQGZ9eE5Ta
After various inquiries, two house searches were carried out in Huelva and the two main suspects of the sale of counterfeit currency online were arrested.
During these interventions, mobile phones, computer equipment, ten false 20-euro notes, one 50-euro, a total of 5,860 euros in real money, and envelopes with handwritten annotations similar to those that appeared in the videos and photos of the investigated channel were seized.
The analysis of the telephones, computer devices and the other materials found in the house searches made it possible to identify the 41 people suspected of buying counterfeit currency, who were later arrested.
