Six people have been arrested in a counterfeit ring that allegedly passed about $300,000 in bogus Canadian currency in B.C., Manitoba and Alberta, Canada. During the searches, executed by the RCMP Federal Commercial Crime Section’s Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team, the Coquitlam RCMP, Vancouver Police and the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, officers seized a substantial amount of fake Canadian bills, blank credit cards and equipment used to make fake bills and cards. Four of those arrested were men, two were women, and all are in their 20s, police said. The men remain in custody and the women were released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.
Photo by CBC: Police show some of the counterfeit bills
The arrests were made last month in Vancouver and Coquitlam, B.C., said Sgt. Tony Farahbakhchian of the RCMP's commercial crime section.
"During the execution of the search warrants, a substantial amount of fake Canadian bills (mostly 100s, 50s and 20s), blank credit cards, computers and equipment used in the production of counterfeit banknotes and credit cards was seized," Farahbakhchian said.
"This is a significant seizure as the notes associated to this group amounted to approximately 80 per cent of the total in counterfeit notes being passed in B.C. during the past 10 months."
The investigation began in November and culminated with the execution of search warrants at properties in the 1900-block of Dawes Hill in Coquitlam and the 4200-block of Dunbar Street in Vancouver on Aug. 12. The counterfeit $100 notes all bore the serial numbers EJE9791896, EJE7771896 and EJE7171891, while the counterfeit $20 notes had the serial numbers ARA9965493, ARD4089894 and ERC3300372.
Farahbakhchian said charges could be laid related to making and passing counterfeit banknotes and to possessing instruments used in producing counterfeits.
"During the execution of the search warrants, a substantial amount of fake Canadian bills (mostly 100s, 50s and 20s), blank credit cards, computers and equipment used in the production of counterfeit banknotes and credit cards was seized," Farahbakhchian said.
"This is a significant seizure as the notes associated to this group amounted to approximately 80 per cent of the total in counterfeit notes being passed in B.C. during the past 10 months."
The investigation began in November and culminated with the execution of search warrants at properties in the 1900-block of Dawes Hill in Coquitlam and the 4200-block of Dunbar Street in Vancouver on Aug. 12. The counterfeit $100 notes all bore the serial numbers EJE9791896, EJE7771896 and EJE7171891, while the counterfeit $20 notes had the serial numbers ARA9965493, ARD4089894 and ERC3300372.
Farahbakhchian said charges could be laid related to making and passing counterfeit banknotes and to possessing instruments used in producing counterfeits.
Source: CBC News, Vancouversun News.
