Bantul Police Arrest Counterfeit Money Makers While Investigating Alcohol Circulation

Evidence in the case of making counterfeit money at the Bantul Police Headquarters, DIY, Monday (6/6/2022) (ANTARA/Hery Sidik)

BANTUL - The Bantul Resort Police arrested a man with the initials TN for allegedly making counterfeit money in the Mantup area, Baturetno Village, Banguntapan District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY).

"Disclosure of criminal cases with the modus operandi of counterfeiting money took place in the Banguntapan area," said Bantul Resort Police Chief (Kapolres) AKBP Ihsan during a press conference at the Bantul Police Headquarters, Monday, June 6.

According to him, the perpetrator was arrested by officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Bantul Police after officers carried out an investigation to follow up on public reports about the circulation of liquor in the Mantup area, on June 2, 2022.

"From the report, we ordered the Criminal Investigation Unit to conduct an investigation with the members, and we found that there was alcohol trafficking, and during the raid we found alcohol and several counterfeit bills," he said.

In addition, he said, the police found printing equipment in the form of printers, cutting tools, and cutters, so it was suspected that the equipment was used by the perpetrators to make counterfeit money.

"It turned out to be true, after we carried out further investigations, the person concerned, apart from selling liquor, also admitted making counterfeit money," he said.

He said the counterfeit money found and later confiscated a total of Rp. 12 million, consisting of 113 pieces of Rp. 100,000 or Rp. 11.3 million and eight pieces of Rp. 50,000 or Rp. 400,000, including hundreds of pieces of paper used for make counterfeit money.

"From the perpetrator's confession, the counterfeit money is still being kept because it is only a trial so the money has not been circulated because it is only the first attempt, and maybe if we don't catch it, there will be more activities to perfect the counterfeit money," he said.

He said, for this act, the perpetrator who was born in October 1995, graduated from a vocational school, and worked as a casual daily laborer was charged with Article 26 paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 36 paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) of the Law. Number 7 of 2021 concerning Currency.

"Everyone who falsifies rupiah currency is subject to a maximum imprisonment of ten years and a maximum fine of Rp. 10 billion," he said.