April 20, 2026 | 11:11 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) uncovered a syndicate distributing counterfeit US dollars. The police arrested five people who sold the counterfeit money as Macau dollars.
Head of the Mobile Criminal Investigation Unit of Bareskrim, Grand Commissioner Teuku Arsya Khadafi, stated that three of them acted as brokers. The three, identified with the initials of AS, F, and AA, were apprehended in Cikupa, Tangerang Regency, on Friday, April 1, 2026. "Officers caught them in the middle of a fake dollar transaction," Arsya said in a written statement on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The police confiscated evidence, including 874 counterfeit 100 US$ bills, three mobile phones, and three wallets from the three suspects. AS admitted to obtaining the fake dollars from someone with the initials AP. Based on this information, the police subsequently arrested AP in Rangkasbitung, Lebak Regency, Banten.
Investigators then expanded the case and arrested AHS, who was suspected of being the main supplier of the counterfeit money. The police apprehended AHS in Balaraja, Tangerang Regency. "At the time of the arrest, AHS did not carry any fake dollar evidence. AHS received it from D, whom we are currently pursuing," Arsya stated.
Arsya explained that the suspects took advantage of the high exchange rate of the US dollar to offer the counterfeit money, which they referred to as Macau dollars. They sold the fake money for Rp13,400 per US$.
The suspects are charged with Article 374 of the Criminal Code and/or Article 375 paragraphs (1) and/or (2) of the Criminal Code related to the crime of circulating counterfeit money. The Mobile Criminal Investigation Unit of Bareskrim also coordinated with the Special Economic Crime Directorate of Bareskrim to develop this case.
Read: Indonesia's Immigration Arrests Three Foreigners for Counterfeit Money Possession
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