In a published statement, Europol described how the target was criminal networks distributing counterfeit money through postal services and that 90% of seizures involved shipments to Europe from China.

"The Romanian authorities intercepted more than 4.8 million euro banknotes with altered “designs” and dismantled a warehouse containing more than 223,000 counterfeit banknotes sent from China. In addition, three separate seizures in Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States revealed more than 220,000 counterfeit coins in euros, pounds and US dollars," it said.

According to Europol, “between June and November 2025”, various authorities (police and customs) “seized 379 parcels containing counterfeit currency”.

These seizures triggered 70 new investigations into criminal networks, and, in total, more than 7 million counterfeit items were identified, including 4.8 million euro banknotes and coins, 2.3 million US dollars, 23,302 British pounds, and 4,800 Swiss francs.

In addition to the Portuguese authorities, the operation involved agents from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.