BRATISLAVA, January 16, (WEBNOVINY) — In 2011, authorities in Slovakia seized 6,260 counterfeit euro banknotes worth EUR 1,005,205, which is four times more than in 2010, informed the spokeswoman for the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), Petra Pauerova. Of the overall number, 1,362 forged notes were withdrawn from circulation, while the police uncovered 4,898 pieces before they were put to circulation. According to Pauerova, the most successful police operation was in late 2011, when 3,745 pieces of counterfeit 100-euro and 1,001 pieces of 500-euro notes were seized.
More than eighty percent of the seized money in 2011 were 100-euro and 500-euro banknotes, while in 2010, 20-euro and 50-euro notes prevailed. Pauerova said that the quality of uncovered forged notes in circulation is mostly good.
In addition to bank notes, also 1,628 pieces of counterfeit euro coins was seized in Slovakia last year. This is a fifteen percent increase from the previous year. Two-euro coins were most common among the seized counterfeit coins.
SITA
