Man nabbed with fake bills

TASIKMALAYA, West Java: An Acehnese man was arrested by Tasikmalaya Police on Wednesday at about 9 p.m. for allegedly using counterfeit money.

Chief of Tasikmalaya Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Elan Subilan said that the 23-year-old Zulfikar was arrested with 20 fake Rp 50,000 banknotes, a bankbook, passport and a pocketbook.

"The suspect said that he would be going to Spain to work," Elan said on Thursday.

He said that the police had been watching Zulfikar because he spoke an Acehnese dialect and he had recently moved to Tugu Jaya village in the Cihideung district of Tasikmalaya regency. After he was arrested, Zulfikar said he was a resident of Blank Trah village in Sawang district, Bireuen regency, Aceh.

The police said they suspected Zulfikar was a member of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), who was trying to flee abroad.

"In the meantime, we'll investigate the case before sifting through the evidence linking Zulfikar to GAM," he said. -- JP