The Police are investigating three men aged between 27 and 63 for their suspected involvement in a conspiracy to using counterfeit notes as genuine.
On 4 July 2021, the Police received a report where a man allegedly presented a counterfeit S$100 note to purchase a lottery ticket along Ubi Road. Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department arrested a 63-year-old man for allegedly using a counterfeit S$100 note as genuine. Another counterfeit S$100 note and drug-related paraphernalia were purportedly found in his possession as well. The man is currently assisting Police in investigations.
Earlier that same day, the Police, acting on information, arrested two other men, aged 27 and 44 years old, for their suspected involvement in counterfeiting S$100 notes. Counterfeit S$100 Portrait series notes with a total value of S$17,500 were also seized. The 44-year-old man will be charged in court on 7 July 2021 with forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes under Section 489A of the Penal Code, while the younger man is still assisting in Police investigations.
The Police take a serious view of any person found criminally involved in counterfeit currency. Below are the punishments, upon conviction, for the more common offences related to counterfeit currency:
Forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes under Section 489A of the Penal Code (Chapter 224, 2008 Rev Ed), which carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years and a fine.
Using as genuine counterfeit currency notes under Section 489B of the Penal Code (Chapter 224, 2008 Rev Ed), which carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years and a fine.
Possession of forged or counterfeit currency or bank notes under Section 489C of the Penal Code (Chapter 224, 2008 Rev Ed), which carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years and a fine.
Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting currency or bank notes under Section 489D of the Penal Code (Chapter 224, 2008 Rev Ed), which carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years and a fine.
Police would like to remind members of the public to be wary of receiving possible counterfeit notes. If you have received any suspected counterfeit currency note, you should:
Call the Police at ‘999’ immediately;
Note down the description of the person(s) who presented the counterfeit note, including gender, race, age, height, built, clothing, tattoo and language/dialect spoken;
Note the description of the vehicle used, if any, including its registration number; and
Limit the handling of the suspected counterfeit note and place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope or folded paper, to prevent further tampering and hand it over to the Police immediately.
Information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency is available on the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s website at: https://www.mas.gov.sg/currency/Identifying-Genuine-Currency.
Source: Singapore Police Force