Romanian-Italian counterfeit euros gang busted

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Anti-crime prosecutors say they are questioning 20 Romanians and four Italians suspected of counterfeiting millions of euros.

Romania’s anti-organized crime office said Friday it had worked with Italian justice officials from since October when the chief suspect, an Italian living in western Romania, was put under surveillance. Prosecutors said he fabricated the euros at his office in the western city of Oradea, sending the money elsewhere in Romania initially, and then on to other European Union countries.

On Thursday, prosecutors say they found 13 million fake euros in denominations of 20, 50 and 100, in offices and homes in Oradea — and 55,000 euros on a garbage heap.

On. Sept. 22, Italian police confiscated almost 19 million euros in Italy counterfeited in Romania and arrested the main suspect, an Italian identified only as RV.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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