This week, national police arrested two individuals on suspicion of running a counterfeit money operation tied to Europe’s largest production of fake banknotes. Investigators say a workshop was dismantled in Altea after a previous seizure last September, and a laboratory capable of producing more than eight million euros in counterfeit 500 euro notes was found near La Nucia.
These arrests mark the second phase of a joint operation carried out by the National Police and Mossos d’Esquadra. In September, twelve people were detained, including the alleged ringleader and several top distributors. Last month, two businessmen were arrested for alleged collaboration with the counterfeiting network and for concealing the purchase of foreign materials and machinery through front companies. The pursuit involved counterfeit 500 euro banknotes.
Frame
The criminal network was built through a web of shell companies that progressively accumulated criminal records for similar offenses. This allowed them to project commercial solvency and interact with legitimate companies while masking the identities of those under investigation.
The investigation traced the network to Marina Baixa, where control started from the outset. The Educational Court number 4 of Sant Feliu de Llobregat in Barcelona drew on the National Court to request measures, as described by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police. They identify this operation as one of the most significant banknote counterfeiting schemes in Europe, with the court sanctioning certain blocks on the case.
The machine and related equipment were found during the last phase of the operation in Altea and Picassent. The findings indicate attempts to interfere with recorded materials and the flow of counterfeit products.
The jurisdiction for counterfeiting crimes involving criminal groups rests with the central tribunals and the Supreme Court. A decision from the national audience is pending on whether to accept the blocking measures ordered by the Sant Feliu court.
According to a November report, four house searches were conducted in Altea and Picassent, targeting individuals linked to a couple described in the inquiry and their alleged counterfeit experts.
Investigators report that the group purchased more than a ton of high-quality, secure paper. The material was bought through Chinese suppliers using companies set up specifically for this purpose.
machine
Evidence also points to the traceability of a printing system used for offset work, as well as the procurement of various industrial machines from abroad. These purchases were conducted under the umbrella of the same commercial activities used to produce counterfeit notes and to print tickets. A laser device used to engrave metal plates was also found among the seized items.
Police say the production records were manipulated with specialized equipment to fabricate counterfeit banknotes, including a printing press and a laminating device. In contrast, investigators did not locate the heavy sheets of anti-counterfeiting paper with watermarks from China, nor the metal plates believed to be used by the operation’s head.