More counterfeit money turns up in the capital

More counterfeit money turns up in the capital

JAKARTA (JP): Police and airport customs officials have made a
number of recent seizures of counterfeit rupiah and U.S. dollar
banknotes, raising fears that the capital is becoming a hot spot
for the distribution of phony bills.

In the past four days alone, officers in Jakarta and nearby
Bogor have confiscated counterfeit Indonesian banknotes totaling
some Rp 5 billion (US$675,675) and $16,000 in counterfeit U.S.
dollar notes.

These figures are surprising compared to the some Rp 6 billion
in counterfeit rupiah notes estimated to have been in circulation
in the country last year.

The latest incident occurred on Thursday, with Jagakarsa
Police detectives in South Jakarta confiscating Rp 50,000 and Rp
20,000 counterfeit banknotes totaling some Rp 3 billion. Six men
were detained in the case, including a retired Army soldier.

A day earlier, customs and excise officers at Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport arrested two men carrying counterfeit U.S.
dollar banknotes totaling $16,000.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Kramatjati Police detectives
in East Jakarta apprehended nine men in possession of fake Rp
50,000 bills which had a total value of Rp 100 million.

Cisarua Police officers in Bogor seized Rp 1.87 billion in
counterfeit Rp 50,000 notes on Monday morning from a house in the
Pasar Angin area of Cipayung village.

This spate of counterfeiting cases has caused fear among the
public about the possible circulation of fake banknotes in the
capital and other large cities in the country.

As of late Thursday evening, nobody from Bank Indonesia could
be reached to comment on the matter.

The central bank revealed in late January their data on
counterfeit Indonesian banknotes in circulation across the
country. According to the bank, there was about Rp 4.44 billion
in fake rupiah notes in circulation in 1997, Rp 6.16 billion in
1998 and Rp 6.27 billion in the first 11 months of 1999. Most of
the counterfeit banknotes were in Rp 50,000, Rp 20,000 and Rp
10,000 denominations.

Article 244 and 551 of the Criminal Code stipulate that anyone
found guilty of counterfeiting rupiah banknotes faces a maximum
penalty of 15 years in prison.

In the raid by Jagakarsa Police on Thursday morning, officers
also found at the house in Ciomas, Bogor, a printing machine,
printing paper and several other items used in counterfeiting
banknotes, including a dryer, paints and printing slides.

Jagakarsa Police chief of detectives Lt. Ronny S. Tarigan said
his men were still searching for the main suspect in the case.

He identified the six suspects in custody as 50-year-old
retired chief warrant officer Sukardi; Heri Chaeruddin, 39;
Endang Mafudin, 40; Asep Supriyatna, 23; Deddy Mulyadi, 26; and
Alfianus, 40.

"The fake notes and the equipment were found at Heri's
residence in Ciomas. Heri is only a technician though. We made
the arrests following a tip-off during our routine street
operation on Jl. Raya Lenteng Agung in South Jakarta on Wednesday
night," Ronny said.

During the street operation, the officers stopped and checked
a suspicious Toyota Kijang van and found a bundle of six
counterfeit Rp 50,000 notes, six counterfeit Rp 10,000 notes and
a number of fake Rp 5,000 notes hidden in the van, Ronny said.

"We then brought Sukardi and Alfianus (the two men in the van)
to our office for further questioning," he said.

During the interrogation, the men gave police Heri's address
on Jl. Jabaru in Ciomas, where they said they had received the
counterfeit money.

"We rushed to the address and raided the house at 4 a.m. on
Thursday," the officer said.

Neighbors in the area told police Heri claimed he was running
a business printing invitations.

Police are questioning the six suspects about the distribution
of the counterfeit money and how they spent the fake notes.

Separately, Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis
identified the two men arrested at the airport as Drn, 50, and
Pkn, 45.

"Pkn was about to change the fake dollar notes into rupiah at
a money changer at the airport when customs officials, who were
suspicious of the man, arrested him and his friend after finding
that their bills were fake," Zainuri said.

He declined to provide any additional information, saying
Tangerang Police detectives "are still looking into the matter".

Meanwhile, East Jakarta Police chief Col. Fabanxio said the
nine men arrested with Rp 100 million in counterfeit notes in
Kramatjati were detained in separate raids at several locations,
including in Bekasi, Cempaka Putih in Central Jakarta and Pluit
in North Jakarta.

"We're still questioning them," he said.

In the Cipayung case, police are still searching for the main
suspect, identified as Alfian, alias Sofyan. They also are
questioning five of the suspect's relatives, including his wife
and daughter, who claim to know nothing about the counterfeit
notes found in their house. (ylt)