Bareskrim Uncovers Counterfeit Money Syndicate in Purwakarta, Over Rp 1 Billion Ready for Circulation Seized
The Mobile Brigade Unit (Resmob) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency has uncovered a suspected counterfeit money circulation case in Purwakarta, West Java. In this bust, police seized at least Rp 1 billion in counterfeit money set to be distributed ahead of the 2026 Eid al-Fitr period.
The head of Resmob at Bareskrim Polri, Senior Commissioner Arsya Khadafi, stated that the revelation stemmed from public information regarding the syndicate’s plans to distribute counterfeit money worth billions of rupiah during the Eid festivities.
Based on that information, the team promptly conducted the first raid at a fried rice stall in the Plered area of Purwakarta. There, police apprehended four suspected perpetrators with initials AS, K, AK, who acted as intermediaries, as well as DNA, believed to be the counterfeit money producer.
“This group has been operating for a long time and is connected to a recently apprehended counterfeit money production group in the Klaten Police Resort,” Arsya said in his statement on Wednesday (18/3/2026).
Arsya mentioned that from the suspects’ hands, initial evidence was found in the form of seven sheets of counterfeit Rp 100,000 notes with 2016 production series numbers. Following further development, the team carried out a subsequent raid at a house in Griya Ciwangi Housing, Bungursari, Purwakarta.
“At this location, police discovered a large quantity of counterfeit money production equipment,” Arsya continued.
The seized evidence included a printer machine, a computer set, a money scale, thousands of sheets of dupon paper as raw material, an ultraviolet printing machine, a colour drying oven, a press tool, dyes, and a counterfeit money cutting tool. In addition, officers confiscated counterfeit money ready for circulation.
“The ready-to-circulate counterfeit money amounts to more than Rp 1 billion,” Arsya stated.
The counterfeit money circulation case has now been transferred to the Directorate of Special Economic Crimes (Dittipideksus) at Bareskrim Polri for further investigation.
He urged the public to be more vigilant against counterfeit money circulation ahead of the holidays. Arsya also asked the public to immediately report any suspicious activities related to counterfeit money circulation in their surroundings.
The perpetrators face charges under Article 375 paragraph (2) subsidiary Article 375 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 374 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, with a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.