Seven held for counterfeiting

SEMARANG: Central Java Police were holding seven people on Friday on suspicion of belonging to a counterfeiting ring in Tawangmangu, Karanganyar regency, some 50 kilometers east of Surakarta municipality.

Three more suspects are at large, according to Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi.

The seven suspects were identified as Cahyo Widodo, alias Salman, alias Farizi, 29, Subandi, 60, and Bangun Rahino, 29, who have been charged with producing the fake money.

Windu Kuntarto, 33, Nuriyati (age is not known) and Muhaimin, 54, have been charged with being couriers for the ring, while Khamami, 50, is an alleged buyer of the counterfeit money.

The seven suspects were arrested on Wednesday in a rented house in Jetis subdistrict, Karanganyar regency.

Didi said a special team from the National Police Headquarters in Jakarta had been dispatched to Semarang, the capital of Central Java, to help the Central Java Police's investigation.

Cahyo, the alleged leader of the ring, claimed they had made Rp 400 million from counterfeiting. -- JP