Detectives in Prague’s city center have arrested three foreign nationals accused of swindling tourists by exchanging Euros for invalid banknotes. The group, who operated in the busiest parts of the capital, targeted visitors looking to exchange cash on the street, leaving them with worthless Belarusian rubles instead of Czech koruna.
Officers from the Prague I district’s 7th Department, a unit that typically focuses on pickpocketing, began tracking the group after reports of fraudulent exchanges surfaced. The suspects were active in high-traffic tourist areas including Na Příkopě, V Celnici, and Wenceslas Square arteries like Opletalova and Ve Smečkách.
The scheme relied on confusing tourists unfamiliar with local currency. The men would approach visitors offering a highly favorable exchange rate for Euros. However, once the cash was handed over, the victims received bundles of Belarusian rubles that are no longer legal tender.
Police documented several successful scams before moving in. Investigators waited until the trio gathered at a single location before arresting all three suspects simultaneously. In the cases police were able to document, the group had defrauded tourists of over 40,000 CZK (approximately €1,600).
The courts moved quickly in the matter. Following an expedited proceeding, the three men—aged 33, 37, and 41—were convicted of fraud. Each received a one-year prison sentence suspended for a five-year probationary period. Additionally, they have been expelled from the Czech Republic and are banned from returning for five years.
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