The investigation began last February after a victim reported that they had put their car and several luxury items up for sale. After agreeing to the sale with the now-detained individuals, two meetings were arranged. During the second meeting, the scammers presented the cash payment, approximately €180,000 for jewelry and €160,000 for the vehicle, according to a police statement.

The alleged scammers counted the money, transported in a bag, in front of the victim using a counting machine. However, upon checking the amount at their home, the victim discovered that the vast majority of the bills were fraudulent, with only about €300 in real cash.

Following an exhaustive investigation, National Police officers identified and located the two men, who were staying at a hotel in Madrid. At the time of their arrest, they were carrying approximately €50,000 in cash, the origin of which they could not explain.

The detainees, arrested on March 12, face charges for fraud and have been handed over to judicial authorities.