Cirebon Regional Police Arrest Suspect and Seize Counterfeit Currency Evidence
The Cirebon Regional Police (Polresta Cirebon) seized counterfeit currency valued at Rp12 billion that was intended for circulation ahead of Idul Fitri.
The Regional Police Chief of Cirebon, Brigadier General Imara Utama, explained that the case began with information received from the public by the Polresta Cirebon team. “It started from public information, and then we proceeded with the arrest,” he stated.
The operation resulted in the arrest of one suspect. The suspect, identified by the initial S and a resident of Gegesik District, Cirebon Regency, was caught red-handed printing counterfeit money.
In addition to apprehending the suspect, Imara revealed that his team had seized various pieces of evidence, including cut counterfeit notes and sheets still in the printing process. The seized items comprised 607 sheets of counterfeit Rp100,000 notes, 100 sheets of newly printed counterfeit currency still in large sheet form, and 52 reams of doorslag paper, each containing 500 sheets.
Police also confiscated one box of newly printed counterfeit notes on one side only and various production equipment used by the suspect for printing counterfeit currency. These included one laptop unit, monitor screens, printers, an offset printing machine, a money counting machine, a money binding machine, an infrared device, and various other printing equipment.
Had the counterfeit money reached circulation in the community, the potential loss would have been enormous. “If this currency had been fully printed and circulated in society, it would represent Rp12 billion. For this printing run, before it could circulate, we managed to intercept and secure everything intact,” Imara explained.
Imara emphasised that the exposure of this counterfeit currency case was particularly critical because it occurred during the period leading up to Lebaran, when cash transactions in the community increase sharply. “If we had been late, this would have spread throughout the community and caused very serious harm. Alhamdulillah we managed to expose it before circulation. As colleagues are aware, approaching Lebaran, money circulation in the community is quite high,” Imara said.
Meanwhile, Himawan, Deputy of Bank Indonesia’s Regional Representative Office (KPw BI) in Cirebon, praised the swift action of the Cirebon Regional Police in thwarting the circulation of such a large volume of counterfeit currency before it reached the public. “We greatly appreciate the quick work of the Cirebon Regional Police in preventing the circulation of such an extremely large amount of counterfeit currency before it reached the hands of the public,” Himawan stated.