Nigerian arrested for forged bills

JAKARTA (JP): A Nigerian carrying counterfeit U.S. dollars was arrested Thursday by customs and excise officials as he tried to enter the country through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, an official said yesterday.

The Nigerian, identified as Adekuneimakinde Alaniyan, 23, arrived here with a tourist visa on Emirates flight EK-076 which serves Dubai, Singapore and Jakarta.

Alaniyan had bogus dollar bills, amounting to $2,000 (Rp 4.7 million) in his pocket when he was arrested, the official said.

Alaniyan had two Nigerian passports under different names. Alaniyan was the name on the passport with identification number B766264, the official said, adding the Nigerian's movements had been monitored from when he disembarked from the aircraft.

"Police and customs officials have been closely watching arrivals from Nigeria, South Africa and South America, where drug smuggling, crime syndicates and fraud are rampant," police said.

Suspecting Alaniyan's movements, customs officials frisked him and found 20 bogus $100-bills in his wallet. Tests on the authenticity of the bills were conducted at the airport, police said.

The airport police precinct questioned Alaniyan and sent him to City Police headquarters yesterday afternoon.

Chief of the City Police Detectives, Col. Paimin Aboeamr, confirmed yesterday that Alaniyan had been arrested for possessing counterfeit money.

"We have put the suspect in detention for illegal possession of bogus dollars and we will proceed with our investigation, " Paimin said. (04)