Mossos d'Esquadra have arrested a 32-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman in Cardedeu, Vallès Oriental, for allegedly distributing fake €50 notes across the Barcelona metropolitan area. The arrests followed an investigation launched in March after an increase in fraudulent payment reports from businesses in cities like Barcelona, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, and Mataró.
Investigators found the couple frequently targeted lottery vendors, often using a nine-month-old baby to build trust before making their purchases. Their method involved buying scratch cards worth €1, €2, or €5 with a counterfeit €50 note, then receiving genuine currency as change. In one instance, they gave the same vendor two fake notes on the same day without detection.
Most victims only realised they had received counterfeit money when depositing their takings at the bank. The couple reportedly defrauded 46 lottery vendors this way. The high quality of the fake notes and the difficulty in obtaining clear physical descriptions of the suspects complicated the initial investigation.
Tracing the Counterfeit Trail
Detectives from the DIC's Currency Counterfeiting unit created a map of the couple's daily movements based on the times and locations of their activities. This allowed them to identify the suspects and obtain judicial authorisation for a search of their home in Cardedeu. On 5 May, officers raided the property, finding 56 fake banknotes, three mobile phones, and stolen documents.
Both individuals, whose nationalities were not disclosed, had approximately 20 prior arrests. They now face charges of fraud and currency counterfeiting. The fake notes were described as being of very good quality, almost perfectly imitating the tactile marks of legitimate euro banknotes, making them difficult to detect.
European Central Bank Warning
These counterfeits are reproductions from the new Europa series of the euro. They can only be identified by observing the bottom left of the note's front side. Unlike authentic banknotes, the green printed facial value does not change colour or produce a shimmering effect when moved. The European Central Bank considers these particular fakes to be especially dangerous due to their high quality.
Investigators determined the couple purchased the counterfeit notes on the black market. The notes were manufactured in southern Italy, a known source for many fake banknotes found in Catalonia, often linked to the Camorra mafia. This is not an isolated incident; in January, three people were arrested in Terrassa and Torelló for distributing similar fake currency. Last November, Mossos caught a family in Badalona using fraudulent €100 notes, also traced back to the Naples-based mafia.
