Bank Indonesia and Police Destroy 466,000 Sheets of Counterfeit Rupiah Notes

Bank Indonesia (BI) and the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) have destroyed 466,000 sheets of counterfeit rupiah notes. The destruction took place at BI’s office in Jakarta on Wednesday, 13 May 2026.

“The counterfeit rupiah notes destroyed total 466,535 sheets, originating from public reports, banking institutions, Rupiah Currency Processing Service Providers (PJPUR), and the processing of bank deposits to Bank Indonesia nationwide during the period from 2017 to November 2025,” stated BI Deputy Governor Ricky Perdana Gozali in an official statement.

The destruction was carried out using a shredding machine that produces very small paper fragments, rendering them unrecognisable as currency. According to Ricky, BI’s research indicates that the quality of counterfeit notes produced to date remains relatively low.

Based on BI data, the number of counterfeit detections shows a declining trend, from 5 ppm (pieces per million, or 5 sheets per every 1 million circulating notes) in 2023 to 4 ppm in 2024-2025. Ricky explained that this decline aligns with improvements in the quality of rupiah notes, including materials, printing technology, and increasingly modern security features, making them easier to identify and harder to forge.

Deputy Head of Bareskrim Polri Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin stated that the circulation of counterfeit money can disrupt economic stability and erode public confidence in the rupiah. “Therefore, synergy between the Police, BI, the Rupiah Security Printing Agency (Botasupal), and all related parties is crucial in efforts to prevent and address it,” he said.

Nunung explained that Bareskrim Polri uncovered counterfeit money cases during the 2025-2026 period, resulting in 252 police reports and 1,241 suspects. From these revelations, authorities seized evidence comprising 137,005 sheets of counterfeit rupiah notes and 17,267 sheets of counterfeit US dollar notes.