Fewer counterfeit euro banknotes found by Dutch cops last year

The Dutch authorities intercepted a total of 47,200 counterfeit euro bank notes in 2016, a decrease of 29 percent compared to 2015, the Dutch central bank DNB announced on Friday. Just below 75 percent of the counterfeit notes were 50 euro notes, NU.nl reports.

DNB does not have an exact explanation for the decrease, but did sy that alert shopkeepers and extra attention from the Dutch police and judiciary contribute to the fight against counterfeiting. Shopkeepers increasingly make use of devices to check bank notes for legitimacy. The Dutch central bank reminds them to make sure that their software is up to date.

Worldwide a total of 684 thousand counterfeit euro bank notes were intercepted, a decrease of 24 percent.

A new 50 euro note will be introduced in April. The new note is equipped with enw security features, including a hologram and security thread, according to the newspaper. The current design for the 50 euro note is over 15 years old.