• He received orders in boxes of 2,000 coins, declaring the merchandise as decorative, ornamental or metal ornaments to evade customs controls and conceal his criminal activity.

• During the investigation, 10,000 counterfeit two-euro coins were seized, distributed in five packages of 2,000 coins each.

March 4, 2025.- Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with National Police officers, have arrested a street vendor for importing high-quality counterfeit two-euro coins from China. He used concepts such as metal ornaments or decorative and ornamental items to avoid any police investigation. A search was carried out at the home of the arrested man in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cadiz, and 10,000 counterfeit coins were seized throughout the investigation.

The investigation began on January 21 when the Customs Surveillance Service of the province of Cadiz detected a package from China whose recipient was a citizen living in the town of Chiclana de la Frontera. Inside there were small plastic bags containing two euro coins and, after carrying out the first inspections, they confirmed that they were high quality counterfeit coins.

Concepts such as metal or decorative ornaments to avoid control

A few days later, it was discovered that the same recipient was going to receive three more shipments with the same characteristics and with the same origin address, so they were immediately seized.

Investigators discovered that the recipient of the packages received them under concepts such as metal ornaments, decorations or decorative items in an attempt to evade customs controls and not raise suspicions in the event of a possible investigation into their criminal activity.

Street vendor selling clothes at flea markets

As the investigation progressed, investigators were able to confirm that this man's professional activity was street vending in markets, so he would have had an easy way to place these counterfeit coins on customers when giving them change for the purchase of his items.

For all these reasons, a search and seizure was requested at his home in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cadiz, where some counterfeit one-euro and two-euro coins were found. Later, another package that had been received on January 20 was seized at a warehouse belonging to a relative located in the same town. Throughout the investigation, 10,000 counterfeit coins with a face value of two euros were seized, contained in five packages of 2,000 coins each. Finally, this man was arrested and brought before the judicial authorities as the alleged perpetrator of a crime of counterfeiting currency.