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)