Fake Money Confiscated By Police From The Hands Of 4 Perpetrators In Majalengka Reaches IDR 2.5 Billion

Majalengka Police when holding a press conference related to the case of making and circulating counterfeit money in Majalengka, West Java, Tuesday (24/9/2024). (ANTARA/Fathnur Rohman)

MAJALENGKA - Majalengka Police, West Java, dismantled the practice of making and circulating counterfeit money across regions worth Rp. 2.5 billion by four suspects with the initials WM, MN, AS, and DS.

"We managed to uncover cases of counterfeiting or making and circulating counterfeit money, by arresting four suspects on Thursday, September 19," said Majalengka Police Chief AKBP Indra Novianto at a press conference in Majalengka, Antara, Tuesday, September 24.

He explained that this case began when the suspect WM wanted to pay a debt of Rp. 4 million to one of the witnesses, by handing over a mixture of real and counterfeit money.

However, he said, the witness realized that there was a difference in the money received, so he immediately reported the incident to the Majalengka Police.

Following up on the report, the Majalengka Police immediately conducted an investigation and search at WM's house in Mekarmulya Village, Majalengka. At that location, the police found evidence in the form of a package of Rp100 thousand, Rp10 thousand and US dollars.

"We immediately arrested the perpetrators, and confiscated evidence in the form of counterfeit bills in the form of rupiah denominations and US dollars," he said.

The police chief said that from the results of the development of this case, officers managed to secure suspects AS and DS who were involved in the circulation of counterfeit money. After that, the perpetrator MN was also arrested for allegedly playing a role as a counterfeit money maker.

According to him, MN is known to have printed counterfeit bills for rupiah denominations and dollars since 2019, in a rented house in Sumedang.

"The suspects AS and DS were arrested after we interrogated the suspect WM, then MN was also secured with additional evidence in the form of thousands of counterfeit bills," he said.

In this case, continued the Police Chief, the evidence that was confiscated consisted of 301 denominations of Rp. 100,000, 762 denominations of Rp. 10,000, 1,900 denominations of US dollars (50 and 100 dollars), as well as counterfeit money printing tools, namely printer machines to computers.

"The total value of all these evidences is estimated at IDR 2.5 billion," he said.

He added that the four suspects were charged with Articles 26 and 36 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 7 of 2011 concerning Currency, which regulates a maximum prison sentence of 15 years with a fine of up to IDR 50 billion.

"In the future, the Majalengka Police will prioritize preventive measures so that the circulation of counterfeit money can be reduced," he said.