Police complete swoop of international counterfeit money gang

Four members of an international organised group are facing counterfeit money charges, having seen their plans to produce euro banknotes worth a total of €500 million foiled by the police. "They were no amateurs. Two of the charged have criminal records. One was a member of the Sicilian mafia", said Martin Waldl from the Slovak Police's crime prevention department. The scam began when one of those charged approached three Czech nationals asking them first to print out advertisement materials and warranty cards at a printing company in the Czech Republic. Along with another charged person, they later asked the Czechs to print out banknotes worth half billion euro. The Czechs later declined to be involved in the scam and alerted the police. The men, who are all in custody in Slovakia, may face up to 20 years in prison on the counterfeit money charges.