Eight nabbed for counterfeiting
Yogita Tahilramani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The police arrested eight men and seized Rp 30 million (about US$3,000) in fake Rp 100,000 banknotes on Saturday, but the public should be cautious as the gang admitted to having put some Rp 500 million in fake banknotes into circulation in the capital.
The men arrested in the raid on their house included the suspected leader of the counterfeit ring, Dadang Ruchiyat, alias Dudi, according to South Jakarta Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Merdisyam.
Merdisyam told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that police also seized chemicals, paint and raw materials used to print the counterfeit notes, a money printing machine, computers, printers and banknote dryers from the house on Jl. Peninggaran Barat II in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta.
"The suspects have yet to tell us anything that could possibly link the central bank or PT Peruri (state-owned banknote printing company) to the raid and arrests.
"These men are professionals ... they said they have been studying how to make the perfect Rp 100,000 banknote for over a year," Merdisyam said.
The raid was made possible following the April 3 arrest of three men -- Ridhwan, Kontan and Oni -- at the Satay House Senayan restaurant in South Jakarta, by undercover detectives posing as buyers of counterfeit money.
Police had earlier received information from the public about these three men, who reportedly sold Rp 1.7 million in fake banknotes for Rp 1 million.
The three men led police detectives to two other alleged distributors of counterfeit money, Erik and Marsono, who pointed them to the house on Jl. Peninggaran Barat II.
This is the second counterfeit case involving Rp 100,000 banknotes this year. On March 20, city police thwarted an attempt by a group of counterfeiters to change Rp 108 million in counterfeit money into U.S. dollars at the PT Limindo money changer on Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda in South Jakarta.
In that case seven suspects were arrested. But BB and TN, believed to be the masterminds of that operation, fled before police stormed the Limindo office.
Among the seven suspects arrested, all of whom are apparently well-educated, are a doctor and an employee at the National Land Agency. Commander Heri Wibowo of the Kebayoran Lama Police said the suspects were all professionals with ties to a large, sophisticated counterfeiting network.