The case in summary Two men have been charged with having attempted to smuggle at least 1.5 million euros across an unmanned border crossing in Halden. When the notes were analyzed, it turned out that the money was fake. The accused have previously explained to the police that the cash was payment for a trade that was carried out in Sweden, according to Dagens Næringsliv. One of the men denies criminal guilt, and says he has been duped into the case. The defense attorney for the other defendant has not yet responded to news’s inquiry. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. One October night in 2022, customs officials seized what was apparently cash worth millions of kroner at an unmanned border crossing in Halden. The notes were handed over to the East police district, which forwarded them to Kripos for analysis. The results from there showed that it was not about real money. – There were euros, but they were counterfeit, says police attorney Else Loge to news. Now a 32-year-old and a 36-year-old are charged with attempting to import at least 1.5 million euros. At today’s exchange rate, this corresponds to around NOK 17.2 million. – The police take this type of crime seriously, because it is a type of crime that is difficult to detect. This makes it important to pursue it, once you come across it. – Has the investigation revealed any motive for the importation of the fake cash? – I don’t want to go into that before the main negotiation is completed, says Loge. The public prosecutor believes the men tried to introduce at least 1.5 million euros into Norway. Photo: Police Payment for crypto and watches The fake notes were payment for a trade that was carried out in Sweden. The accused explained this to the police during questioning, Dagens Næringsliv wrote last year. According to the newspaper, the two men and a woman handed over cryptocurrency and three luxury watches with a total value of NOK 4 million. As payment, they received thousands of counterfeit euro notes. The head of the investigation at the time, Christian Alexandre Kramer, told DN that the accused were not aware that they were transporting counterfeit money. – It would be a bit strange to give up real values for fake notes, he said. Says he was tricked Now the 32-year-old and the 36-year-old are charged with: complicity in attempted gross fraud complicity in attempted gross money laundering attempt to introduce goods outside the control of customs In a text message lawyer John Christian Elden writes that the 32-year-old refuses criminally guilty according to the charge, and that his client has been duped into the case. Ole Richard Holm-Olsen defends the 36-year-old. He has not yet responded to news’s inquiry on Tuesday. When the case was under investigation, however, he told Dagens Næringsliv that his client pleaded not guilty to money laundering. The trial against the 32-year-old and the 36-year-old goes to Søndre Østfold district court at the end of August. Published 02.07.2024, at 18.27
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Indicted for attempting to smuggle at least 1.5 million euros in Halden – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio
