Skopje (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A government official from North Macedonia was apprehended for allegedly mass-producing millions of artificial €2 coins, the European Union’s law enforcement agency Europol announced.
How Was the North Macedonian Counterfeiting Operation Uncovered?
Several sites were searched simultaneously in North Macedonia, where machines for the production of fake currency, thousands of assembled coins, rings and core blanks were grabbed. The individual charged is identified as a worker of the Ministry of Interior in North Macedonia. Authorities were warned of the suspect’s activities via a coordinated intelligence-sharing effort.
A months-long examination by Macedonian and Kosovar authorities, operated with the support of the Europol agency, discovered the apparent forgery operation and led to the 34-year-old suspect’s detention in Pristina, Europol stated in a statement.
How Did Europol Support the North Macedonian Counterfeiting Investigation?
According to Europol, “A joint investigation team (JIT) was established at Eurojust between the Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo* on one side, and the Basic Prosecution in Skopje on the other, with the support of the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project, hosted at Eurojust. Investigative activities carried out were supported by the Kosovo Police, the Investigative Centre of the Public Prosecutor’s Office Skopje and the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia. Europol’s support was instrumental in this operation, providing critical intelligence analysis, operational coordination, and technical assistance to ensure the successful apprehension of the suspect.”
Eurojust, the EU’s criminal justice cooperation agency, stated in a statement that the man was “suspected of producing around 2 million fake EUR 2 coins, which were about to be distributed into the Kosovar economy.”
How Will Europol’s Expertise Assist in Counterfeit Currency Cases?
The coins grabbed during the searches will be further concerned, comparing them to other coins already retreated from circulation to consider the real scale of the production. Europol functions as the European Union’s central office for fighting euro counterfeiting, playing a pivotal position in protecting the integrity of the Eurozone’s currency.
As the epicentre for intelligence and operational support, Europol harmonises efforts across Member States to detect, analyse, and dismantle counterfeiting networks. The Agency delivers specialised expertise, enables the exchange of critical information, and deploys cutting-edge technological tools to track and investigate counterfeiting activities. The investigation was helped financially by the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).
