A man has reportedly been arrested for involvement in a criminal scheme that reportedly saw him illegally trading more than 100 counterfeit U.S. bills for local currency.
Teleedifusao De Macao, a radio and television station, found the company at an unnamed casino only after one of the victims asked to officially check his new bill.
“The man reportedly exchanged HK$54,000 for HK$80 (62,074 HK$) [U.S. bill],” Choi Ian Pai, a spokesman for the Macau Judicial Police, told Teledipusao de Macau. “After watching the surveillance video provided by Casino, we confirmed the exchange. So we think that the fake bills come from other individuals involved and people we tracked. Surveillance video also shows the same individual wandering around another casino in Macau.”
He reportedly tried to cross the border into mainland China and immediately confessed to trading counterfeit bills on behalf of other individuals. He is said to have admitted further that he is waiting for more fake money to be traded, with officials explaining that Macau gamblers are now trying to find out the source of the fraud, which has proved very difficult to distinguish from legal bills.
Choi reportedly has the words “USA100″ clearly visible on the real bill in the Teledipusao de Macao. The security lines on real bills affected by UV rays have a neon response. This is not available on counterfeit bills. Watermarks on fake bills appear unaffected by UV rays. This proves that it was added later.”
The latest in a series of counterfeit currency schemes that have been uncovered by police over the past few years, Teleifusao De Macao reported that officials are urging gamblers and tourists to have doubts about the exchange rate, which may not look too good.