Man arrested for alleged involvement in use of counterfeit $100 note in Geylang

The 83 women and three men, aged between 22 and 54, are being investigated.

SINGAPORE - A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly being involved in the use of a counterfeit $100 note.

The police said on Monday (July 5) that they received a report last Friday that a counterfeit $100 portrait series note had allegedly been used to purchase an item in Geylang Road.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him within 10 hours of the report being made.

Six $10 notes and three $2 notes believed to be criminal proceeds were seized.

The man was charged in court last Saturday and remanded for further investigations.

The last known incidents of similar crimes were in 2017 and 2015.

In 2017, a drug abuser engaged in a conspiracy to produce counterfeit currency notes after failing to report to his community supervision centre while on a work release scheme following an earlier conviction.

In 2015, a teacher made two counterfeit notes by photocopying a genuine one on his home printer and used it to pay for massage services.

Anyone found guilty of using counterfeit currency notes as genuine notes can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

Anyone who suspects that he has received a counterfeit note should take these steps:

1. Delay the person giving you the note, if possible, and call the police on 999 immediately.

2. Observe the appearance of the person giving you the note, taking into account the gender, race, age, height, build, attire, any accessories, and language or dialect spoken. Also observe the features of any companion.

3. Note the person's vehicle registration number, if any.

4. Limit the handling of the suspected note and place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope, to prevent any tampering. Hand it over to the police immediately.

For information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency, visit the Monetary Authority of Singapore's website.

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