A couple was arrested in Cardedeu, Barcelona, on 5 May for allegedly using their nine-month-old baby to distract shopkeepers while passing counterfeit €50 notes. The 32-year-old man and 29-year-old woman face charges of fraud and currency counterfeiting, according to the Mossos d'Esquadra's Criminal Investigation Division (DIC).
The suspects, who had around 20 previous arrests, operated daily by purchasing lottery coupons or low-value items. This allowed them to receive legitimate change for the fake €50 notes they presented, officials said. Their criminal activity was concentrated in towns like L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona city, and Mataró, all within the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Police said the couple systematically repeated their pattern, even defrauding the same establishment twice on the same day. In total, 46 lottery vendors were affected by their scheme. The victims often did not realise they had been scammed until their bank rejected the counterfeit money when depositing their takings.
Tracing the Fraudsters' Route
Detectives created a map detailing the times and locations of the frauds to trace the suspects' movements. This investigation led to a search of the couple's flat, where officers seized 56 counterfeit banknotes. The fake currency originated from the black market in southern Italy.
The seized notes belonged to the new Europa series of the euro, featuring imitated tactile marks that the European Central Bank considers particularly dangerous. This type of counterfeit is designed to be difficult to detect without close inspection.
Moving forward, authorities will continue to monitor for similar counterfeiting operations, especially those involving sophisticated fake notes. The arrests are expected to disrupt the supply of these particular counterfeit €50 notes in the region.
