Four indictments in 2022, the ninth in the first 10 months of this year, have been filed against people who are suspected of counterfeiting money in Kosovo. According to the statistics of the Kosovo Agency for Forensics, the 100-euro banknote was the most counterfeited last year, and this year the 50-euro one. Of the coins, the fake 2-euro continues to have the largest circulation
Officials of the Kosovo Agency for Forensics are busier than ever.
The identification of banknotes and metal coins, which are suspected to be counterfeit, is done there.
And they have the biggest job with the 50 and 100-euro banknotes, as well as with the 2-euro metal one.
Official Vjollca Krasniqi has said that there are several ways to distinguish between original and counterfeit ones.
"First of all, there is the watermark, which can only be seen through light. In the original, the watermark is integrated," she said.
According to Krasniqi, the counterfeit 2-euro bill can also be distinguished by its color.
Krasniqi said that the color of the fake metal is excellent, unlike the original. Another way to identify is through your finger, touching the print, on the front and back.
"It is softer in the counterfeit, while in the original it is stronger", said Krasniqi.
The Agency's statistics show that the deposit of banknotes and metal coins, which are suspected to be counterfeit, has increased this year.
In the first ten months of this year, this agency has identified 36.260 counterfeit 2-euro coins, which is almost five times more than in the same period last year. As for the banknotes, last year the most counterfeited was the 100-euro one, and this year the 50-euro one.
The Central Bank has said that all banknotes and coins deposited in financial institutions, including the CBK, and that are suspected of being counterfeit, are handed over to the Police, and then to the Forensic Agency.
"Banknotes and coins presented to financial institutions, including the CBK, are subject to processing, through which process the authenticity is verified. Coins that are suspected to be fake are withdrawn from circulation and immediately handed over to the Kosovo Police, which then sends them for analysis to the Kosovo Agency for Forensics and at the same time investigations are carried out and other procedures are initiated with other responsible bodies according to the legislation and regulations in force. The CBK is coordinating in the inter-institutional aspect with the responsible bodies to support them in their actions to limit and prevent these activities, says the CBK's response.
The Basic Prosecutor's Office of Prishtina has said that there is an increase in cases of counterfeit money, but also of indictments for suspected persons.
"We have an increase in cases of this nature, which is a worrying phenomenon even for us as an institution, we can say that during the last year our Prosecutor's Office has filed a total of 4 indictments, for four people who were involved in this crime criminal, meanwhile during this year at the time we are talking we have a total of six indictments filed with eight people involved in the commission of this criminal offense", said Laureta Ulaj, spokesperson of the Basic Prosecutor's Office.
For encountering counterfeit money, the police are reporting more and more often in their 24-hour reports, including Thursday.
