Lodi – A clandestine laboratory for the production of counterfeit banknotes, equipped with sophisticated laser printers and counterfeit holograms, was dismantled by the Carabinieri of the Anti-Monetary Adulteration Unit, leading to the sentencing of three people to between 4 and 5 years in prison. The operation, launched in December 2016, shed light on a criminal activity that operated under the guise of a labor consultancy firm in an apartment in Melegnano, in the Milan area.
At the center of the investigation, coordinated by Europol after the discovery of numerous counterfeit banknotes in France, is a 43-year-old originally from Naples but resident in Milan for years. The man, filmed by a bug while printing counterfeit 10, 20 and 50 euro banknotes, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, with a fine of 1.500 euros and a lifelong ban from holding public office. The charges concern the forgery and introduction of counterfeit coins into the national territory.
The same operation is linked to the convictions of two alleged accomplices, aged 56 and 35, both sentenced to 4 years in prison and a fine of 1.000 euros each. A fourth defendant was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
During the seizure of the laboratory, the Carabinieri found counterfeit banknotes with a total value of approximately 14.000 euros, some of which were still in full sheets, as well as 10 proofs of 50 and 100 dollar banknotes. The banknotes, although of high quality, were not printed on watermarked paper, a detail that would have facilitated their identification.
In addition to the crimes of counterfeiting, criminal association was also contested, confirming the organized nature of the illicit activity. The operation, which started from an international investigation, demonstrates the effectiveness of the collaboration between European police forces in the fight against economic crime and currency counterfeiting.
The case represents a warning to those who try to exploit new technologies for illegal purposes, but also an example of how coordinated action by the authorities can dismantle increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Article published on 13 February 2025 - 20:27
