Japanese arrested in RP with fake yen

Japanese arrested in RP with fake yen

MANILA (AP): Philippine police have arrested a Japanese who allegedly distributed counterfeit yen bills in the country, police said Wednesday.

Toshiharu Mitsui, 49, an employee of a computer company in Okinawa, was arrested Monday in Manila with 24 counterfeit 10,000 yen bills, police said. Police later recovered 300 more bills from his hotel room, all with the same serial number, police Maj. Nelson Yabut said.

Police said they were led to Mitsui after a taxi driver complained that he was paid by the Japanese Sunday with a 10,000 yen bill which employees of a money changer later said was fake. The driver said he was beaten up by the employees for trying to exchange a counterfeit bill.

Mitsui admitted printing the money with his computer in Okinawa, Yabut said. He was charged late Tuesday with illegal possession and use of counterfeit money, an offense punishable with 12 to 20 years' imprisonment.