The operations were supported also by Europol and Eurojust and led to the arrest of 23 individuals. The networks produced various denominations: 20 and 50 euro counterfeit banknotes and distributed EUR 45 000 in 100 euro counterfeit banknotes since 2016, causing EUR 4.5 million worth of damage to the economy.
The case was initiated earlier in 2018 when the French National Police specialised units were tipped off about the distribution of fake banknotes. Investigations led the police to discover an organised crime group producing counterfeit banknotes in a print shop in Naples, Italy. The banknotes were later distributed by a different crime ring in Nancy, France.
The criminals in France regularly drove to Naples where they visited members of a Neapolitan family company to whom they bought the counterfeit banknotes. Once back in France they resold the banknotes and they were put into circulation from Nancy to other EU Member States.
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