Police seize S$17,500 in fake currency; 3 men nabbed, 1 to be charged

SINGAPORE — A 44-year-old man will be charged on Wednesday (July 7) for the alleged offence of forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes, while another two men are under investigations for their suspected involvement in a conspiracy to use fake notes as genuine ones.

In a news release on Tuesday, the police said that they received a report on Sunday that a 63-year-old man allegedly used a counterfeit S$100 note to buy a lottery ticket along Ubi Road.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department arrested the man. 

Another counterfeit S$100 — as well as drug-related paraphernalia — were found in his possession as well.

The other two men were nabbed earlier on Sunday, after the police acted on information for their suspected involvement in counterfeiting S$100 notes.

During the operation, the police seized counterfeit S$100 notes that were printed under the Portrait series. They had a total value of S$17,500. 

The Portrait series bank notes, first released in 1999 and featuring images of Singapore’s first president Yusof Ishak, are presently in circulation. 

If convicted of forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes, the 44-year-old man can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

The police warned that they take a serious view of anyone found criminally involved in counterfeit currency.

Anyone found guilty of using counterfeit currency and passing them off as genuine can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

Those in possession of forged or counterfeit currency or bank notes can be fined and jailed for up to 15 years.

If convicted of making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes, a person can be fined and jailed for up to 20 years.

The police advised the public to be wary of receiving possible counterfeit notes.

Anyone who receives a suspected counterfeit note should do the following:

• Call the police immediately on 999

• Note the description of the person or persons who presented the note, including their height, clothing and gender 

• Take note of the vehicle used (if any), including its registration number

• Limit contact with the suspected counterfeit note and keep it in a protective covering — such as an envelope or folded paper — to prevent further tampering and hand it over to the police 

More information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency is on the website of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Just last week, a 27-year-old Singaporean man was charged with using a counterfeit S$100 note to buy an item in Geylang.  

The man had used a counterfeit S$100 note from the Portrait series to make a purchase along Geylang Road.