Europol Police Agency
BRUSSELS – Europol, the European police agency says two ‘industrial-size’ mint-shops that were counterfeiting one-euro coins and 50-cent pieces in Belgium have been dismantled.
Europol says the investigation also turned up bank notes with a face value of about €60,000 ($86,500). It says the mints were in two towns south of Brussels.
A Europol statement says this was the first seizure of this type in Belgium. The statement said that “this organization is linked to Italian Mafia, Neapolitan Camorra, and has been deeply involved for several years in the distribution and production of counterfeit currency.”
It didn’t say how many suspects were arrested but said they were of Italian and Belgian origin and were acting with others from Naples and Puglia.
