Libyan Central Bank heist loot found in Larissa
Banknotes stolen from the Central Bank of Libya in Benghazi in 2017 have turned up in Larissa, central Greece.
The discovery was made a few days ago when a man tried to exchange €40,000 at a branch of the Bank of Greece in Larissa, but the worn banknotes he presented immediately raised suspicion and were seized. They showed similar signs of wear and tear to those stolen in Benghazi – around €159 million.
The Central Bank of Libya was seized by a Libyan National Army brigade in late 2017 and it was reported they had emptied the safes. Nobody knew then, in the midst of the country’s civil war, where the the loot would end up. About €68 million of the €159 million had already been ruined by a sewer overflow. They had mold from the water and rips along the edges. This did not, however, deter them from making their way to other countries, including Greece.
The Banknotes Directorate of the European Central Bank had informed the national central banks of the Eurosystem in April 2019 about the circulation risk of the banknotes. Since 2019, more than eight cases have concerned the Greek authorities. These notes have also appeared in Belgium, France and Estonia. Some of the notes reportedly ended up in Europe via Turkey.
According to the Estonians, in addition to Turkish criminal networks, the Russian mafia is also involved in trafficking the stolen banknotes. The Central Bank of Estonia handled more than 50 related cases involving 1,705 banknotes stolen from Libya in recent years.
