Agents of the National Police have dismantled an organisation allegedly dedicated to counterfeiting cheques and promissory notes. Subsequently, and to obtain the collection in the banking entities, the arrested presented the false documents together with original commercial documentation obtained fraudulently. In the operation, eight people have been arrested and a significant number of prohibited weapons have been seized -tasers, daggers, brass knuckles-, simulated weapons, compressed gas and primers -pistols and revolvers- and tactical equipment used to commit the crimes -fingerprint detection kit, telescopes, transmissions. The network was based in the Madrid town of Getafe, although it had members in other provinces such as Santander and Valencia.
Fake cheques of more than 10,000 euro
The investigation began in Valencia last October when the agents learned of a “pass” of two cheques, worth more than 10,000 euro each, which turned out to be falsified and originated in companies from Santander and Madrid.
The first investigations made it possible to identify a person living in Valencia dedicated to capturing “mules” and delivering the counterfeit cheques for collection at bank branches. In addition, this member, if necessary, was dedicated to settling accounts using all kinds of threats.
After several steps, the agents determined that another member of the organisation of the highest level and with the work of a forger resided in Getafe (Madrid), who acted in coordination with other members of the criminal organisation. He was also in charge of passing falsified commercial documents in different bank branches in the Madrid area.
Theft of mail in Santander
Investigators found that the organisation obtained, or directly intercepted, promissory notes sent by post that they used as models for counterfeit promissory notes. Although, they confirmed that in the province of Santander the network would fraudulently obtain original promissory notes, and then go through the counterfeiting process and obtain as a result the false cheques that were collected through members of the organisation at a lower level. Of these events, the agents collected several complaints detailing theft of correspondence, specifically promissory notes and various bank documentation.
With all the information, the police carried out four searches in the homes of the main investigated in Madrid (2), Valencia (1) and Santander (1). The operation has resulted in the arrest of eight members of the organisation and the intervention of numerous effects and machinery used for document forgery, simulated compressed gas weapons and various tactical equipment.