Fraud involving 600,000 counterfeit bottles in Austria: seven Romanians under criminal investigation
A group of seven Romanian citizens is suspected of defrauding Austria's bottle return system, collecting hundreds of thousands of euros through counterfeit bottles.
Group of Romanians accused of defrauding Austria's recycling system with hundreds of thousands of euros
ProTV News reports that Austrian police have discovered a large-scale fraud targeting the reusable bottle return system. Seven Romanian citizens are suspected of returning approximately 600,000 counterfeit bottles to recycling machines in Austria, collecting the value of associated deposit guarantees. Investigators estimate the total damage at hundreds of thousands of euros.
The investigation was launched in March, following the arrest of a 29-year-old suspect in Wiener Neustadt. The man had fraudulently obtained deposit vouchers for empty bottles and cans at the checkouts of a discount supermarket. Police found numerous counterfeit reusable bottles in his car.
Subsequent investigations established that he was part of a seven-person organised group. Starting at the end of January 2026, group members allegedly transported the counterfeit bottles by truck to a rented warehouse in the Bruck an der Leitha district, according to the ORF publication. From there, the packaging was distributed by rented vans to return machines at various locations across Austria.
Investigators subsequently identified six additional suspects. The Wiener Neustadt prosecutor's office issued European arrest warrants for five of them. Two suspects were arrested in Romania at the end of October, while three others remain wanted by authorities.
The 29-year-old Romanian, the first arrested in this case, had previously been sentenced to a prison sentence in August.
Source: Știrile ProTV