The Mossos d'Esquadra arrested a 32-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman on May 5 in Cardedeu for alleged fraud and counterfeiting after an investigation opened due to the use of fake 50 euro banknotes in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, and Mataró.
The investigation began in mid-March 2026, when complaints from lottery vendors who were receiving these banknotes as change when selling one, two, or five euro scratch-off tickets increased. The discrepancy that focused the inquiries was this: banknotes that meticulously imitated the Europa series of the euro for very low-value purchases and repeated victims, even twice in the same day.
The arrested individuals repeated payments in L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, and Mataró
Investigators attribute a daily pattern of travel through different municipalities to the couple. The main victims were 46 lottery vendors, to whom they handed over the fake banknotes when buying scratch-offs and receiving change in cash.
In some cases, the same victim received two consecutive fake banknotes in a single day. The arrested individuals also used a nine-month-old baby to distract the vendors during the operation.
To track them, the Criminal Investigation Division created a criminal map with dates, times, and locations. This data cross-referencing allowed them to trace the route they followed and identify the alleged perpetrators.
The search in Cardedeu found 56 fake banknotes and three mobile phones
The case progressed after the Court of Instruction No. 13 of Barcelona authorized the entry and search of the residence in Cardedeu. There, the officers located 56 fake banknotes, three mobile phones, and stolen documentation.
The Mossos maintain that the banknotes had been obtained on the black market and originated from a counterfeit manufactured in southern Italy. They imitated the Europa series of the euro and featured high-quality tactile marks.
Even so, the flaw appears in a specific point on the obverse. In the lower left part, the face value in green does not change tone or show a holographic effect when the banknote is moved.
Following the arrests on May 5 in Cardedeu, the two arrestees were brought before the court on May 7.