Sidoarjo Police dismantle cross-province counterfeit money ring

Sidoarjo Police (Polresta Sidoarjo) have dismantled a cross-province counterfeit money network operating between East Java and Central Java. The operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects, identified as Chinese nationals, and the seizure of counterfeit currency totaling approximately Rp 298.52 million.

The investigation began following a report from a grocery store owner in Tanjungsari Village, Sidoarjo, who suspected counterfeit notes during a transaction. One suspect, MS, was apprehended while attempting to spend counterfeit Rp 50,000 bills. Subsequent investigations led police to Karanganyar, Central Java, where the other two suspects, DBS and ES, were arrested.

Authorities seized production equipment, including printers, pressing machines, ink, paper, and holograms. In addition to the forgery ring, the investigation also uncovered links to online scamming syndicates and personal data misuse.