Bareskrim Uncovers Counterfeit Money Syndicate in West Java, Value of Ready-to-Circulate Notes Exceeds Rp 1 Billion
The Mobile Brigade Criminal Investigation Unit (Satresmob) of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has uncovered a suspected counterfeit currency distribution case operating in West Java ahead of Eid al-Fitr 2026. From this revelation, police seized counterfeit money ready for circulation valued at more than Rp 1 billion. “The ready-to-circulate counterfeit money is worth more than Rp 1 billion,” stated the Head of Satresmob Bareskrim Polri, Kombes Arsya Khadafi, in his remarks on Wednesday (18/3/2026). The uncovering was carried out by Unit 1 of Satresmob Bareskrim Polri, led by Kanit 1 Satresmob, AKBP Harry Azhar, on Friday (13/3/2026) around 23:30 WIB. The first raid was conducted at a fried rice stall in the Plered area, Purwakarta, West Java. At the location, officers secured four suspected perpetrators with initials AS, K, AK, who acted as intermediaries, as well as DNA, suspected to be the counterfeit money producer. Based on further developments, police then conducted a follow-up raid at a house in Griya Ciwangi Housing, Ciwangi Village, Bungursari Subdistrict, Purwakarta. At this site, officers found various large quantities of counterfeit money production equipment. The evidence seized included a printer machine, a set of computers, a money scale, thousands of sheets of dupon paper as raw material, an ultraviolet printing machine, a colour drying oven, a press tool, as well as dyes and cutting tools. “This uncovering began with information from the public regarding the syndicate’s plan to distribute counterfeit money worth billions of rupiah during the Eid moment,” Arsya said. Currently, the case handling has been handed over to the Directorate of Special Economic Crimes at Bareskrim Polri for further investigation. Police urge the public to increase vigilance against the circulation of counterfeit money, especially ahead of the holidays, and to immediately report any suspicious activities to the authorities.