The Croatian police said on Wednesday that with the support of Europol they had dismantled an illegal currency print-shop in the area of Bjelovar, 80 kilometres east of Zagreb, and apprehended 19 suspects at several locations in northwestern Croatia on Tuesday.
The police operation, which lasted about 10 months, resulted in the seizure of 3,600 counterfeit 50-euro banknotes (in the amount of 180,000 euros) and 189 50-pound banknotes.
"During the operation, a criminal gang engaged in production and distribution of counterfeit was broken," Croatian police official Bozo Barbaric said.
The counterfeit banknotes were distributed in Croatia, Italy, Austria and Slovenia.
The arrest operation reached a dramatic point when a suspect, running away from the police in Zagreb's district of Dubrava on Tuesday, threw a hand grenade at the police but it did not go off.
"Yesterday’s operation was supported by two Europol officials on the spot, and Europol has also supported the investigation during operational meetings and via analysis and coordination from its headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands," Europol reported on its website.
