This time, it was not easy to identify. At first glance, anyone could have believed that they were authentic. Was almost exact copy, touch and sound deceiving the receiver. The National Police have arrested a Spanish that was involved, since early last year, counterfeit € 50 banknotes. It is considered the largest counterfeiter in Spain. The man in his 60s, produced daily 2,500 euros in counterfeit bills through a special oven he invented. His impersonations were ranked among the top 10 best quality in Europe.
The airplane had every detail of the authentic but these were imperfect and that's how the police could locate after following his steps since June 2013: counterfeits wore watermark, although this does not make it intensified the backlight; had hologram, but this ratio did not change. Were stamped with OVI (optically variable ink, according to its acronym in English), but this did not change color. The size, the security thread and the mark with texture were virtually identical, the metallic sound it makes when shaken a ticket was very similar, but less intense.
The headquarters of the offender was located in a villa in Bargas (Toledo) where man, skilled in graphic arts, performing counterfeits with help of his wife, a Colombian 45. The criminal self working with a network of partners has also been dismantled in cooperation with Europol and the BSR Bank of Spain (BIBE). The network moved money in bars and entertainment venues in low light, in markets and crowded malls. Three other men, also Spanish, have been arrested. The operation, however, remains open because the police estimated were about 30 people who stuck their currency market.
His specialty was 50 euro banknotes of high quality, but also mimicked the $ 100 and identity documents from several European countries. Inside the chalet a lab for printing banknotes consists of more than 15 printers, laminators, metal plates, negatives, inks, presses, thermo- printing and special oven built of wood with a small engine was found in the top, like a microwave. Inside the lab was seized about 15,000 counterfeit dollars and euros 90,000.
The " artist " as he called Alfredo Head, commissioner of the Brigade of the Bank of Spain Bank Research, lived in Malaga town of Mijas, but in October moved to Toledo: " The man was very cautious, we believe was raising suspicions and had burned his home, so he moved to town, "says Head. This man who lived in great luxury, could be facing a sentence of 14 years.
These high ticket perfection found in almost all European countries, as reported by Farida Belghazi, Europol liaison officer, especially in Spain, Portugal, France, Romania and Germany. It is estimated that the forger reached 300,000 euros in Spain place of which the man was left with only 10% of its production.
The number of notes that appear in Europe each year is approximately 600,000 of all types of securities, the commissioner said Head.
Tags: 50, counterfeiter, euros, largest, Spain, stopped, Ticket