Counterfeit RM50 Notes

ALOR SETAR on 25 Nov 2009

A husband and wife couple, both 20-years-old, were arrested by police for being involved in the making of counterfeit currency notes over the last few months.
Kedah deputy police chief Datuk Asri Yusof said the unemployed couple were detained during a raid on a house in Taman Wira Mergong here at 8pm yesterday.
"They were brought to a motel where police found the fake notes and equipment to make them.

"Two hundred and thirty two false notes valued at RM11,600 were found there," he said at a news conference at the state police contingent headquarters here today. He said among items seized were front and back photostat copies of RM50 notes, knives, scissors, stickers and 15 video compact discs believed to have pornographic material.

Asri said their modus operandi was to deposit the fake notes in a cash deposit machine (CDM) before withdrawing from an ATM on the same day. He said the couple, married in June, initially deposited small amounts in July and in the middle of September were more active and reaped RM26,000.

"Most of the findings of fake notes were made by bank officers and security guards who were in charge of handling money in ATM and CDM machines," he said.

Asri said initial police investigations revealed that the couple knew of the technique of making false notes from a male friend who was now being sought.

Asri however discounted the possibility of the pair being involved in any syndicate. He said they were being remanded beginning today and the case was being investigated under Section 489(c) of the Penal Code for possession of counterfeit notes which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine.

He said they will also be charged under Section 5(2) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for possession of pornographic VCDs and DVDs that has a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not more tha RM50,000 or a prison sentence of not more than five years or both. Asri said this year so far there had been 105 cases of 2,172 fake notes valued at RM110,155 in the state. -- BERNAMA