The Mossos d’Esquadra have dismantled a group in Lleida that allegedly iIntroduced counterfeit bills into nightlife venues in Barcelona And through buying and selling applications, they reported this Sunday in a statement. The police force has arrested six people —five men and a woman between 22 and 30 years old— accused of crimes of currency counterfeiting and membership in a criminal group, and the investigation remains open, so new arrests are not ruled out.
The investigation was carried out in two phases: the first was on September 13, when five arrests were made and three entries in Lleida, in which nearly 4,000 euros and 550 euros in counterfeit bills were seized. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the counterfeit banknotes had been acquired in Térmens (Lleida), where the “main distributor” was identified, who acquired the banknotes in Italy and who is also accused of sending counterfeit banknotes abroad and paying with counterfeit currency to a sex worker.
On October 24, the second phase was carried out, in which They arrested one of the alleged dealers of counterfeit billsand three entries and searches were made in properties in Térmens and Vilanova de la Barca (Lleida).
‘Modus operandi’
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The researchers confirmed that the authors introduced counterfeits into the economic market through the purchasing low-value drinks at nightlife venues and with purchases in trading applications between individuals.
According to the Mossos, the ‘modus operandi’ they used to make these purchases involved a young woman that she went to the place of the transaction accompanied by another man, and the transactions were normally in exchange for high-value telephone terminals.