Two tried for forging money worth Rp 5b

TANGERANG (JP): Beware of your Rp 50,000 bank notes since they may be among the forged ones distributed by Jie Jusanhadi, 65, alias Anon, and his accomplice Iwan Wijaya, 46.

According to prosecutor Syahrudin, the two had sold fake notes worth Rp 140 million in a series of transactions between March and April this year.

During a trial at the Tangerang District Court on Monday, the prosecutor demanded the court sentence Anon and Iwan to four years and six years in prison respectively for their crimes.

The two had produced counterfeit Rp 50,000 bank notes -- the highest denomination in the country's currency -- amounting to Rp 5 billion, he said.

"The defendants have sold some Rp 140 million of the total amount. They were arrested when they were about to sell another Rp 300 million worth," Syahrudin told the court.

The court Monday did not reveal to whom the two sold the fake notes and at what rate.

According to the prosecutor, the defendants printed the notes -- the only bank notes bearing the picture of former president Soeharto -- in a shop-house at the Citra Raya housing complex in Cikupa district here.

Using a Japanese-made offset printing machine Olever Sakurai, two cutting machines, two negative films and 20 pieces of printing equipment, the defendants were able to produce 103,914 pieces of counterfeited Rp 50,000 bank notes equal to Rp 5.19 billion.

Syahrudin charged the defendants with violating Article 244 of the Criminal Code which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.

"The defendants had admitted to all the crimes," he said.

He also asked the court to seize and destroy the evidence, such as the printing machines and the remaining Rp 4.67 billion in fake notes.

Presiding judge Tukiran adjourned the trial until next week to hear the defendants' pleas. (41/jun)