Denmark Frees Chinese Duo Held in 'Fake' Coin Mix-Up

Denmark has freed two Chinese held for 48 days after they tried to exchange a massive hoard of scrap Danish coins that were mistaken for counterfeit money, media said Wednesday.

The pair was found not guilty and released on Tuesday after the central bank and police determined the Danish kroner worth 32,765 euro ($44,207) were not fake, the daily Politiken said.

Danish police arrested and charged the two Chinese, a 26-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, who cannot be named, with being in possession of counterfeit money at the end of August.

Police were called in as the two tried to exchange large amounts of damaged Danish coins in several Copenhagen banks, and they were detained on remand.

The coins were reportedly part of scrap metal consignments transported to China, where they had been sorted manually. The two Chinese had specifically been sent to Denmark by their company to change the coins.

Under Danish law, the central bank must reimburse a holder who presents damaged Danish currency.