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Police dismantle international fraud group in Operation Castillo
In a coordinated international operation named “Operation Castillo,” police authorities in Austria and Spain, supported by Europol, dismantled an organized crime group involved in a sophisticated “Rip-Deal” fraud. The operation, which took place between August and October, resulted in the arrest of three suspects aged 27, 30, and 53.
The scheme began when an Austrian real estate entrepreneur listed a luxury villa in Marbella, Spain, for sale online. Suspects posing as representatives of a Swiss real estate consortium contacted the entrepreneur and built trust through in-person visits. The group arranged a 1.8 million euro cash payment for the villa in Marbella, while simultaneously demanding a 300,000 euro commission in gold coins to be delivered in Vienna.
The entrepreneur became suspicious and alerted the “Rip-Deal Unit Vienna.” On October 6, a synchronized raid was conducted in both Vienna and Marbella. Authorities seized approximately 2.1 million euros in counterfeit banknotes. The suspects, who reportedly have a combined 30 criminal records across at least five European countries, had intended to use the transaction to introduce large quantities of fake currency into the economy.
Entities
Austrian Federal Criminal Police · Europol · Marbella · Policía Nacional · Rip-Deal Unit Vienna · Spanish National Police · Vienna
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The arrested suspects have a combined total of 30 criminal records across at least five European countries. www.snmedia.at · www.5min.at
- [● 8 SOURCES] Authorities seized approximately 2.1 million euros in counterfeit banknotes. www.snmedia.at · erstaunlich.at · polizeinachrichten.at · www.5min.at · wien.orf.at · +2 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Three suspects were arrested during Operation Castillo. www.snmedia.at · erstaunlich.at · polizeinachrichten.at · www.5min.at · wien.orf.at · +2 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The operation is considered the largest successful sting in the history of Rip-Deal crime in Austria. polizeinachrichten.at · erstaunlich.at · wien.orf.at · polizei.news
- [● 4 SOURCES] The three arrested suspects are aged 27, 30, and 53. www.snmedia.at · erstaunlich.at · www.5min.at
- [● 8 SOURCES] The group planned to obtain 300,000 euros in gold coins as commission while paying the seller with counterfeit cash. www.snmedia.at · erstaunlich.at · polizeinachrichten.at · www.5min.at · wien.orf.at · +2 more