Man arrested with fake money

DEPOK: Depok Police arrested a 45-year-old man on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for possessing counterfeit Rp 50,000 banknotes in a black bag on Jl. Margonda Raya, Depok.

The suspect, Soetarno, earlier took a taxi driven by Budi Sutarwo, 41, from Lenteng Agung railway station, South Jakarta, to Depok Plaza, Depok.

Soetarno gave a Rp 50,000 banknote to Budi, who immediately became suspicious because it did not look real.

The taxi driver told Soetarno the money looked fake, at which the suspect alighted from the taxi and boarded a public minivan. Budi chased the public minivan while shouting at the suspect to pay the fare.

People in the area responded to Budi's shouts by running after the minivan. They were on the verge of attacking Soetarno when a patrolling police car arrived at the scene and took the suspect to Depok Police Headquarters.

Depok Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Raja Erizman said the suspect confessed to obtaining the counterfeit money from someone in Sukabumi, West Java.

"He said he used the fake money to pay for his daily needs. A total of Rp 1.5 million is only the first phase. His accomplice promised to supply him with another Rp 50 million if he could smoothly distribute the money," he said.

Police are investigating the case. -- JP