East Java Police Dismantle Cross-Provincial Counterfeit Money Syndicate Worth Billions of Rupiah

Released case of counterfeit money at the East Java Police Headquarters/PHOTO: AM Sby-VOI

SURABAYA - The East Java Police have uncovered a cross-provincial counterfeit money (UPAL) circulation syndicate in Kediri Regency. Unmitigated, the counterfeit money syndicate has scored a total of IDR 2 billion.

"From the printed counterfeit money, a total of IDR 2 billion was printed, then IDR 1.2 billion was circulated to the public, and the remaining IDR 800 million was secured", said East Java Police Chief, Inspector General Toni Hermanto, at the East Java Police Headquarters, Surabaya, Thursday, November 3.

There are 11 suspects arrested in the counterfeit money case. They were successfully arrested starting with the arrest of the suspect with the initials M in Krandang Village, Kras District, Kediri Regency. "We then carried out developments, and finally succeeded in securing 11 suspects", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Kediri Police, AKBP Agung Setyo Nugroho, added that the circulation of counterfeit money originated in Kediri. Then it was developed in the Central Java region, Jakarta, to the counterfeit money production center in Cimahi City, West Java Regency.

"We managed to secure 55 items of evidence, and the money we managed to secure remaining in some of the perpetrators amounted to around IDR 800 million", he said.

As for the mode, one of them is by distributing counterfeit money at night, and the target is the lower middle class. In addition, the counterfeit money is spread by order, aka there is a customer.

"For example, if someone wants to order counterfeit money worth IDR 20 million, they pay IDR 10 million in real money", he said.

As a result of their actions, the suspects were charged with Article 36 Paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 26 Paragraph (2) or Article 36 Paragraph (3) in conjunction with Article 26 Paragraph (3) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 7 of 2011 concerning currency. With a maximum imprisonment of 15 years, and a maximum fine of IDR 50 billion.