News
13,000 fake RM50 notes seized in Thailand
BANGKOK: Thai police have confiscated more than 13,000 pieces of fake RM50 notes with a face value of between RM650,000 and RM750,000 in Lopburi on Tuesday. The money was found during a police raid on a former top army official’s house in the province where authorities also seized some weapons. Police Col Akradej Pimolsri, chief of the Criminal Suppress Division 2, said police made the seizure following a tip-off over the former official storing weapons in his house.He said two suspects, aged 36 and 37, claimed that they were caretakers of the house located in the province where several army camps are located. A Thai policeman said they believed that the ringgit notes were printed in Thailand and that it was the biggest seizure in years. “Earlier there was information that fake ringgit notes were being printed in Cambodia,” he said. — Bernama 16 July 2009
Fake renminbi notes now in the region Counterfeit Renminbi (RMB) currency notes have been found circulating in South-East Asia countries and Hong Kong. The Central Bank of China had started investigation into the counterfeit notes and was expected to disclose its findings this week, it said. The fake notes of 100 Renminbi denomination were first found in Guangdong. Subsequently, the fake notes with serial number of HD90 were found in Shanghai, Hunan, Guangxi and Szechuan. Guangzhou police had also started investigation into the fake notes. A local money changer was quoted as saying he would not exchange fake notes with customers. He added that the fake notes originated from China, but it was not a serious matter in Malaysia. – Sin Chew Daily 15 Jan 2009
African students nabbed with fake money ‘worth’ RM400,000 SEREMBAN, Sat: Two African students were arrested at a budget hotel in Nilai early this morning for possession of counterfeit Malaysian and United States currency notes worth almost RM400,000. Negri Sembilan chief police officer, Datuk Osman Salleh, said the duo were a Nigerian and a Republic of Guinea (ROG) national, aged 20 and 23 years respectively. “They were arrested about 2am and were in possession of Malaysian currency notes of RM50 worth RM299,700; RM100 notes worth RM60,400; and 38 counterfeit US100 notes,” he said at a news conference at the state police headquarters here today. He said police seized a laptop computer; three mobile phones; a ROG passport; and a student pass for a Nigerian student from them. “Both the Africans are remanded for four days. This is the biggest seizure of counterfeit money in Negri Sembilan. Usually such activity happens in big cities,” he said. Osman said initial investigation revealed the syndicate conned people and probably used the ‘money’ at night markets (pasar malam). “We believe the fake notes had been scanned. We also believe both the men were looking for clients,” he said. Osman advised people to be wary of counterfeit money and ‘black money’. — BERNAMA 15 Aug 2009
Five M’sians held in Haadyai over fake US currency BANGKOK: Five Malaysians were arrested in Haadyai following the seizure of US counterfeit notes with a face value of US$34,000 (RM119,000).This was believed to be the biggest seizure there in five years, said Haadyai police chief Suphawat Patkriew.He said the suspects were in possession of 340 pieces of US$100 (RM350) notes each when the police picked them up at a tour agency while they were trying to change the money. “They are held at the Songkhla prison, pending investigations. “Once the investigations are completed and documents ready, we will charge them in court. Until then, we are allowed to hold them for up to 84 days,” he added. Suphawat said initial investigations revealed that the suspects, aged between 20 and 40, had brought the counterfeit money from Malaysia and intended to spend it in Haadyai. He said the seizure of the counterfeit notes was the biggest in four to five years at the city, a popular destination for holidaymakers from Malaysia. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Thai police are tracking down a Malaysian man believed to be the mastermind of a syndicate distributing US counterfeit notes in the country, especially in the southern cities bordering Malaysia. Several of the man’s Thai accomplices were arrested early this year, but he managed to flee, said Thai police officials. — Bernama 28 June 2009
Pakistani terrorists using Malaysia as transit point for fake rupees Pakistani terrorists are reportedly using Malaysia as a transit point to move counterfeit Indian rupees into India to destabilise that country. The New Strait Times quoted Indian Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis senior researcher Brigadier S.K. Saini as saying that the transfer of fake notes had been going on for some time but had worsened in the last five years. “The latest incident occurred in October last year when Indian authorities intercepted a large consignment of fake Indian rupees en route from Malaysia to India,” Brigadier Saini said. He declined to state the exact amount involved but said the overall figure from Malaysia and other countries ran into billions of rupees. Saini said the movement of counterfeit currency continued unchecked despite concerted efforts by Indian and Malaysian authorities. “The Pakistani elements behind this racket are doing this to create confusion and destabilise India,” he told the New Straits Times. It is understood that counterfeit rupees are also being smuggled into India from Nepal and Bangladesh. Saini said the terrorists’ objective were two-pronged — to undermine the Indian fiscal sector and set up legitimate companies and businesses to fund their terrorist activities in India. He said the fake notes were of such high quality that even experts in India could not tell them apart. – South East Asia News.Net 13 Jan, 2009
RM808,400 fake notes: Man is jailed 5 years Kota Kinabalu: A 47-year-old unemployed local was sent to prison for five years by the Magistrate’s Court here Wednesday for being in possession of counterfeit Malaysian currency amounting to RM808,400 last week. Ahmad Ismail, of Kg Tronglit, Kinabatangan, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Herlina Muse to having 10,000 pieces of RM100 counterfeit notes and 3,084 pieces of RM50 counterfeit notes at about 9.15am on July 6, at a junction entering Alamesra, near here. The offence, under Section 489C of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 10 years on conviction. Herlina ordered the counterfeit notes, which were tendered in court in four plastic bags, to be forfeited and destroyed by Bank Negara Malaysia. Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Uma Devi Balasubramaniam told the court that Ahmad was arrested by city marine operations force personnel in “Ops Barakuda” at the said place. Investigations revealed that Ahmad obtained the counterfeit currency from a friend known as Mahmud in Sandakan and had brought the notes to the city in a bus on July 3. Ahmad then stayed at a lodging house in Kampung Air here. He confessed that he brought the forged notes to the said place to deliver them to another person as instructed but could not do so as he was arrested by police. Ahmad, who was not represented, applied for leniency saying he has a family to support and that his wife is sick. Uma, however, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, saying Ahmad had committed a serious offence, which involved big sum of money that could affect the economic growth of the country. – Daily Express 16 Jul 2009
China awash with counterfeit 100-yuan notes BEIJING – Chinese authorities and shoppers are battling a flood of counterfeit 100-yuan (US$14) notes that have swept across the country ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday when spending traditionally spikes. The fake versions of China’s highest-denomination note are being sold for as little as 10 percent of their face value and have prompted the state-run media to publish advisories on how to detect counterfeit from real. China’s central bank also on Thursday warned consumers, banks and retail outlets to be on guard for the fake notes. Police in Taiwan seized 100 million yuan worth of fake notes and arrested six people suspected of printing them, the China Daily reported on Friday. A man was also arrested in southern China after being found carrying 830,000 yuan in fake bills beginning with the serial numbers “HD90,” the most common type of counterfeit notes, according to the official Xinhua news agency said. In yet another case, a Chinese farmer was sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined 15,000 yuan this week for using 55 “HD90” counterfeit notes, Xinhua reported. State press reported the fake notes had been found in 10 provinces and territories, including Hong Kong. A central bank spokesman urged people to be on alert for the fake bills during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, when many Chinese traditionally buy large household consumer products and gifts for their family. – The China Post 17 Jan 2009
Lebanese “billionaire” done in by his own generosity
Not real: ACP Izany holding fake US$1mil and USS100,000 banknotes which were among the US$66mil in dud notes found in Elie’s possession when police raided his hotel room in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: Self-proclaimed “billionaire” Elie Youseef Najem has made many dubious claims before, including a promise to donate RM1bil to the National Cancer Council (Makna) in 2006.
This time, a US$500 note that he gave as a tip to a hotel cleaner may have undone him.
A police raid on a four-star hotel room where the 50-year-old Lebanese had been staying unearthed a total of 160 fake notes with a face value of US$66mil (RM220mil).
City Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Asst Comm Izany Abdul Ghany said Elie had, over the past few days, been renting a room at the Bukit Bintang area.
“He had apparently tipped a cleaner with a US$500 note. The woman, ecstatic over her sudden windfall, went to a money changer to convert it into Malaysian currency.
“When she was told that note was fake, she complained to her supervisor who then alerted the police,” ACP Izany told a press conference at the city police headquarters here yesterday.
A police team led by Insp Ridhwan Ani raided the hotel room at 12.05am on Jan 10 and discovered a black bag containing 60 US$1mil notes, 60 US$100,000 notes and 40 US$500 notes, all with a face value totalling US$66.2mil
The highest denomination of the US dollar is US$100. – The Star 15 JAN 2010
Fake renminbi notes now in the region Counterfeit Renminbi (RMB) currency notes have been found circulating in South-East Asia countries and Hong Kong. The Central Bank of China had started investigation into the counterfeit notes and was expected to disclose its findings this week, it said. The fake notes of 100 Renminbi denomination were first found in Guangdong. Subsequently, the fake notes with serial number of HD90 were found in Shanghai, Hunan, Guangxi and Szechuan. Guangzhou police had also started investigation into the fake notes. A local money changer was quoted as saying he would not exchange fake notes with customers. He added that the fake notes originated from China, but it was not a serious matter in Malaysia. – Sin Chew Daily 15 Jan 2009
African students nabbed with fake money ‘worth’ RM400,000 SEREMBAN, Sat: Two African students were arrested at a budget hotel in Nilai early this morning for possession of counterfeit Malaysian and United States currency notes worth almost RM400,000. Negri Sembilan chief police officer, Datuk Osman Salleh, said the duo were a Nigerian and a Republic of Guinea (ROG) national, aged 20 and 23 years respectively. “They were arrested about 2am and were in possession of Malaysian currency notes of RM50 worth RM299,700; RM100 notes worth RM60,400; and 38 counterfeit US100 notes,” he said at a news conference at the state police headquarters here today. He said police seized a laptop computer; three mobile phones; a ROG passport; and a student pass for a Nigerian student from them. “Both the Africans are remanded for four days. This is the biggest seizure of counterfeit money in Negri Sembilan. Usually such activity happens in big cities,” he said. Osman said initial investigation revealed the syndicate conned people and probably used the ‘money’ at night markets (pasar malam). “We believe the fake notes had been scanned. We also believe both the men were looking for clients,” he said. Osman advised people to be wary of counterfeit money and ‘black money’. — BERNAMA 15 Aug 2009
Five M’sians held in Haadyai over fake US currency BANGKOK: Five Malaysians were arrested in Haadyai following the seizure of US counterfeit notes with a face value of US$34,000 (RM119,000).This was believed to be the biggest seizure there in five years, said Haadyai police chief Suphawat Patkriew.He said the suspects were in possession of 340 pieces of US$100 (RM350) notes each when the police picked them up at a tour agency while they were trying to change the money. “They are held at the Songkhla prison, pending investigations. “Once the investigations are completed and documents ready, we will charge them in court. Until then, we are allowed to hold them for up to 84 days,” he added. Suphawat said initial investigations revealed that the suspects, aged between 20 and 40, had brought the counterfeit money from Malaysia and intended to spend it in Haadyai. He said the seizure of the counterfeit notes was the biggest in four to five years at the city, a popular destination for holidaymakers from Malaysia. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Thai police are tracking down a Malaysian man believed to be the mastermind of a syndicate distributing US counterfeit notes in the country, especially in the southern cities bordering Malaysia. Several of the man’s Thai accomplices were arrested early this year, but he managed to flee, said Thai police officials. — Bernama 28 June 2009
Pakistani terrorists using Malaysia as transit point for fake rupees Pakistani terrorists are reportedly using Malaysia as a transit point to move counterfeit Indian rupees into India to destabilise that country. The New Strait Times quoted Indian Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis senior researcher Brigadier S.K. Saini as saying that the transfer of fake notes had been going on for some time but had worsened in the last five years. “The latest incident occurred in October last year when Indian authorities intercepted a large consignment of fake Indian rupees en route from Malaysia to India,” Brigadier Saini said. He declined to state the exact amount involved but said the overall figure from Malaysia and other countries ran into billions of rupees. Saini said the movement of counterfeit currency continued unchecked despite concerted efforts by Indian and Malaysian authorities. “The Pakistani elements behind this racket are doing this to create confusion and destabilise India,” he told the New Straits Times. It is understood that counterfeit rupees are also being smuggled into India from Nepal and Bangladesh. Saini said the terrorists’ objective were two-pronged — to undermine the Indian fiscal sector and set up legitimate companies and businesses to fund their terrorist activities in India. He said the fake notes were of such high quality that even experts in India could not tell them apart. – South East Asia News.Net 13 Jan, 2009
RM808,400 fake notes: Man is jailed 5 years Kota Kinabalu: A 47-year-old unemployed local was sent to prison for five years by the Magistrate’s Court here Wednesday for being in possession of counterfeit Malaysian currency amounting to RM808,400 last week. Ahmad Ismail, of Kg Tronglit, Kinabatangan, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Herlina Muse to having 10,000 pieces of RM100 counterfeit notes and 3,084 pieces of RM50 counterfeit notes at about 9.15am on July 6, at a junction entering Alamesra, near here. The offence, under Section 489C of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 10 years on conviction. Herlina ordered the counterfeit notes, which were tendered in court in four plastic bags, to be forfeited and destroyed by Bank Negara Malaysia. Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Uma Devi Balasubramaniam told the court that Ahmad was arrested by city marine operations force personnel in “Ops Barakuda” at the said place. Investigations revealed that Ahmad obtained the counterfeit currency from a friend known as Mahmud in Sandakan and had brought the notes to the city in a bus on July 3. Ahmad then stayed at a lodging house in Kampung Air here. He confessed that he brought the forged notes to the said place to deliver them to another person as instructed but could not do so as he was arrested by police. Ahmad, who was not represented, applied for leniency saying he has a family to support and that his wife is sick. Uma, however, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, saying Ahmad had committed a serious offence, which involved big sum of money that could affect the economic growth of the country. – Daily Express 16 Jul 2009
China awash with counterfeit 100-yuan notes BEIJING – Chinese authorities and shoppers are battling a flood of counterfeit 100-yuan (US$14) notes that have swept across the country ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday when spending traditionally spikes. The fake versions of China’s highest-denomination note are being sold for as little as 10 percent of their face value and have prompted the state-run media to publish advisories on how to detect counterfeit from real. China’s central bank also on Thursday warned consumers, banks and retail outlets to be on guard for the fake notes. Police in Taiwan seized 100 million yuan worth of fake notes and arrested six people suspected of printing them, the China Daily reported on Friday. A man was also arrested in southern China after being found carrying 830,000 yuan in fake bills beginning with the serial numbers “HD90,” the most common type of counterfeit notes, according to the official Xinhua news agency said. In yet another case, a Chinese farmer was sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined 15,000 yuan this week for using 55 “HD90” counterfeit notes, Xinhua reported. State press reported the fake notes had been found in 10 provinces and territories, including Hong Kong. A central bank spokesman urged people to be on alert for the fake bills during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, when many Chinese traditionally buy large household consumer products and gifts for their family. – The China Post 17 Jan 2009
Lebanese “billionaire” done in by his own generosity
Not real: ACP Izany holding fake US$1mil and USS100,000 banknotes which were among the US$66mil in dud notes found in Elie’s possession when police raided his hotel room in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: Self-proclaimed “billionaire” Elie Youseef Najem has made many dubious claims before, including a promise to donate RM1bil to the National Cancer Council (Makna) in 2006.
This time, a US$500 note that he gave as a tip to a hotel cleaner may have undone him.
A police raid on a four-star hotel room where the 50-year-old Lebanese had been staying unearthed a total of 160 fake notes with a face value of US$66mil (RM220mil).
City Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Asst Comm Izany Abdul Ghany said Elie had, over the past few days, been renting a room at the Bukit Bintang area.
“He had apparently tipped a cleaner with a US$500 note. The woman, ecstatic over her sudden windfall, went to a money changer to convert it into Malaysian currency.
“When she was told that note was fake, she complained to her supervisor who then alerted the police,” ACP Izany told a press conference at the city police headquarters here yesterday.
A police team led by Insp Ridhwan Ani raided the hotel room at 12.05am on Jan 10 and discovered a black bag containing 60 US$1mil notes, 60 US$100,000 notes and 40 US$500 notes, all with a face value totalling US$66.2mil
The highest denomination of the US dollar is US$100. – The Star 15 JAN 2010
