Spanish police announced this Thursday that they had dismantled a network accused of having falsified works by British artist Banksy. They were sold in the Spanish region of Catalonia but also abroad, notably in the United States, for prices of up to 1,500 euros.
Four people were arrested in this case. These are two managers of the workshop where the fake Banksys were made and two individuals “knowing the world of art”, accused of having put these counterfeits on sale, indicates the regional police, the Mossos of Esquadra. The works were sold in specialized stores, in auction houses in Barcelona, as well as on Internet sites.
The four people accused are accused of fraud and crimes against intellectual property. According to Catalan police, at least 25 works spray-painted on cardboard were sold “in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, the United States and Scotland.” The amount of this scam amounts to “10,000 euros”, she specifies.
A mysterious artist, frescoes and stencils worth several million
The Mossos d’Esquadra specify that they launched their investigation in mid-2023, after detecting false works attributed to the mysterious graffiti artist Banksy on online sales platforms. This investigation led them to a workshop in Zaragoza, in the region of Aragon, neighboring Catalonia, where “a couple of young fans of Banksy’s urban art and with economic problems created the works”.
The couple sold their counterfeits for 80 euros to the people responsible for distributing them, who obtained false certificates of authenticity to increase the price and offer them at points of sale. The investigation is still ongoing and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
An enigmatic artist, Banksy is known worldwide for his murals and stencil works, which fetch tens of millions of euros on the art market. He has concealed his identity since the start of his career.