Malaga young counterfeiter led double life unknown to family

Crime

The 23-year-old detainee was still living at his mother's house, where he had installed a lock on his bedroom door to keep prying eyes away from his banknote lab

Irene Quirante

The 23-year-old man who the National Police arrested last week on suspicion of manufacturing counterfeit banknotes at his home in Malaga appeared to be like any other young man. He had an impeccable routine and a bright background: a good education, healthy habits, a stable relationship and a home he shared with his mother near the centre of the city.

Behind his bedroom door, however, he was allegedly hiding a clandestine laboratory where he manufactured counterfeit 20-, 50- and 100-euro banknotes, which he then sold on the dark web and distributed throughout Europe.

According to sources close to the investigation, the Austrian authorities detected his activity months ago. Using an undercover officer, they acquired a bundle of counterfeit banknotes. This provided their first clue: the package's trail led directly to a post office in Malaga.

The National Police then took over the case and began an exhaustive tracing of the packages, with the collaboration of the Spanish tax agency and Europol.

According to sources, the suspect operated cautiously but not without making mistakes. The investigators identified three drop-off points between Malaga and Torremolinos, where the young man allegedly deposited packages with incomplete addresses or repeated street names to evade detection.

The sender used false personal details to hinder identification. Despite these precautions, the analysis of security camera footage and the investigation allowed the police to identify the perpetrator: a young man with no prior criminal record who regularly visited the post office.

Counterfeit banknotes of a "fairly decent" quality

The investigation confirmed the dispatch of more than 500 shipments, primarily destined for Germany, although authorities also detected deliveries in Switzerland, Austria and Spain. The police intercepted approximately seven packages that returned to the postal service after failing to reach their intended recipient. These packages contained counterfeit currency of a "fairly decent" quality.

The business model seemed perfect at first glance. The young man allegedly charged for his services exclusively in cryptocurrencies, which allowed him to move large sums of money without a trace, while maintaining the facade of a completely normal and orderly life. Investigators suspect that, through this activity, he may have earned a profit of around 150,000 euros.

The final blow came with the raid on the homes of his parents, who are separated. In the house where the young man lived with his mother, the investigators found the heart of the illicit activity: the clandestine laboratory, which he was hiding in the closet. He also used a lock on his bedroom door to keep away prying eyes.

The police found ink cartridges, holographic paper for 20- and 50-euro banknotes, two manual presses, banknote printing scraps, two guillotines, three rolls of holographic metallic foil, four manual rollers, two embossed watermark stamps, a bottle of OVI ink and screen printing mesh.

During the arrest, the young man surprised the police with his youth and composure. The crime of counterfeiting currency carries a sentence of eight to 12 years in prison. According to sources, the young man remained calm throughout the arrest.

Far from the profile of a habitual offender, reports describe a young man who spent hours at the gym, avoided drugs and had no prior criminal record. His family, although surprised by the installation of the lock on his room, never suspected that he spent his time counterfeiting money.