In a major sweep across Europe, law enforcement agencies from 18 countries have seized over EUR 14 million in counterfeit banknotes and coins as part of Operation DECOY, a Europol-coordinated mission led by Spain, Portugal, and Austria.
This joint effort, backed by customs and police forces, aimed to halt the spread of fake currency, which is increasingly shipped via postal services to evade detection.
The operation, conducted under EMPACT (a European crime-fighting initiative), intercepted 174 parcels containing counterfeit cash, triggering 144 investigations into the criminal networks behind these shipments. Authorities confiscated a total of 148,130 fake currency items, which included 134,949 euro banknotes and coins, along with British pounds and US dollars.
A significant portion of the seized items were so-called “movie money” – realistic-looking banknotes with a disclaimer marking them as fakes, which criminals often pass off as legitimate currency. The EUR 50 and EUR 20 denominations topped the list of seized items, highlighting their popularity among counterfeiters.
Operation DECOY underscores the impact of collaborative international action. Customs officers identified suspicious parcels, while police forces traced these shipments back to the crime groups involved, ultimately blocking entry points for these counterfeits. By addressing differences in enforcement approaches across borders, this operation illustrates how unified efforts can disrupt criminal schemes that exploit gaps in international law enforcement.
Europol and OLAF played key roles in intelligence-sharing and refining risk indicators, enabling a more effective crackdown on counterfeit currency. This operation showcases the strength of united security agencies in tackling counterfeit crime, with a clear focus on tightening postal systems against the trafficking of fake currency.
Over EUR 14 Million in Fake Currency Seized in Europol's Operation DECOY, Targeting Postal Shipment Crime Networks
