Two Bangladeshi nationals will be charged in court on Tuesday, September 30, with using and possessing counterfeit S$50 (US$38) notes.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a news release on Monday, September 29, that the two men, aged 33 and 35, were arrested after they received several reports of counterfeit S$50 notes being used at two separate locations in Geylang between September 22 and September 25.
The police cited two alleged incidents involving the two men in which such notes were used.
The police said, "In the first case, the 35-year-old man allegedly used a S$50 note suspected to be a counterfeit to purchase food at a restaurant along Lorong 22 Geylang."
"In the second case, the man, together with the 33-year-old man, allegedly used two S$50 notes suspected to be counterfeits to pay for services along Lorong 16 Geylang," SPF added.
The police identified the 35-year-old man and took him into custody on September 28 after conducting ground investigations and using closed-circuit television footage.
The 33-year-old man was arrested after preliminary investigations showed that he was connected to the second case.
Twelve more S$50 notes that were thought to be counterfeit were discovered in his possession. The notes were confiscated as evidence in court.
On Tuesday, the men will face charges in court for both possessing and using counterfeit currency as real currency.
Those who falsify or counterfeit banknotes risk a fine and up to 20 years in prison.
The same harsh penalties apply to those who use real counterfeit or forged currency or banknotes as they do to those who manufacture or possess tools or materials used in currency or banknote counterfeiting.
Those found in possession of counterfeit or forged banknotes face a maximum 15-year jail sentence and a fine.
"Members of the public are reminded to be vigilant when handling currency notes," SPF noted.
According to them, authentic Singapore notes have unique security features like security threads, watermarks, and a particular paper texture.
SPF further added that anyone who believes they have received counterfeit money should contact the police at 999 right away, record the identifying information of the person or people who presented the suspected counterfeit money, handle it sparingly, and cover it with a piece of folded paper or an envelope to prevent further tampering. They should also turn the suspected counterfeit money over to the police right away.
