20,000 counterfeit euros smuggled from Italy into Moldova

Two Moldovans and a Romanian are investigated for putting forged €50 and €100 banknotes into circulation. According to the police, the three brought at least 20,000 forged euros from Italy and distributed them in Moldova. A legal case was started. The group's leader – the Romanian national – has been already charged, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on July 13, Gheorghe Cavcaliuc, division head at the Ministry of the Interior's Fraud Investigation Division, said the Ministry will send the series and numbers of the bills to the National Bank so as to prevent the circulation of the counterfeit money. Gheorghe Cavcaliuc said the €50 and €100 bills in the EU are not checked at currency exchange facilities, while 80% of the counterfeit money discovered in Europe comes from Italy. It is not excluded the Moldovan citizens may have forged money as many of them work in Italy. The three face 7 to 15 years' imprisonment.