Two men were arrested in flagrante delicto in Caldas da Rainha for the crimes of qualified fraud and forgery of documents, in a scheme known as “black euros”, the PSP reported this Friday.
The suspects, of foreign nationality, were arrested on Monday, as part of an investigation by the PSP Criminal Investigation Division, following a report that they were in a hotel in Lisbon trying to scam a citizen.
Contacted by the Lusa agency, the PSP clarified that “a second meeting was arranged in Caldas da Rainha”, in the district of Leiria, a lead that the agents followed and which allowed the arrest of the suspects “in flagrante delicto”.
In a statement, the police explained that this is a scheme that usually involves “making exploratory approaches in various locations until the deals are concluded, which are related to the opening of companies”.
The fraudsters “invite victims to be partners and managers of supposed companies in the national territory, demonstrating for this purpose that they have several million euros to invest, and these millions will be amounts diverted from governments or humanitarian aid associations in countries in conflict “, says the statement.
The investigation revealed that, having “set up the plot and convinced the victim”, the second part of the plan involves “making a demonstration with a miraculous liquid that cleans marked banknotes, whether with stamps from a certain country or humanitarian association, thus allowing the introduction into the legal financial circuit, through companies supposedly created and of which the victim will supposedly be the manager”.
After carrying out the transaction, the suspects “leave the scene” and the victim is left without the money invested and with “a suitcase full of papers and bottles with the supposed miracle liquid that only contains water and dye”.
The PSP seized from the two suspects a vehicle, eight cell phones, 250 euros in banknotes, two watches, a safe, 24 bundles of papers similar to bundles of banknotes, three bottles of “miracle liquid”, two forged identification documents and articles used to practice the scams.
The detainees, without a fixed address in Portugal, were present at the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP) in Lisbon, for the first judicial interrogation and application of coercive measures, having been given an identity and residence certificate.
The term of identity and residence consists of identifying the person and indicating their residence, as well as the obligation to appear before the authorities whenever there is a notification.
The suspect cannot change residence or be absent for more than five days without communicating the place where he can be found.
