Chinese nationals charged over alleged counterfeit currency scheme at Marina Bay Sands Casino
Police said the investigation uncovered 121 suspected counterfeit S$100 notes.
Singapore.- Two Chinese nationals have been charged over an alleged scheme to counterfeit Singapore currency. The man and woman were charged under Section 489A read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), officers were alerted to a man attempting to exchange a counterfeit S$100 (US$78) note at the casino at about 3.50am on August 24. Investigators said the 33-year-old man had presented S$150,000 (US$117,979) to a cage cashier and requested that the money be credited to his casino account. The cashier identified one of the notes as counterfeit after finding the word “COPY” printed on it.
Officers from the Central Police Division and Commercial Affairs Department subsequently escorted the man to his hotel room, where they allegedly saw a 25-year-old woman leaving with a printer. Police searched the woman and found 121 counterfeit S$100 notes in her possession. A search of the hotel room uncovered more items allegedly linked to the production of counterfeit currency, including ink, paper and a paper cutter.
The offence carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine. Singapore law also provides for prison terms of up to 20 years for counterfeiting or using counterfeit currency and up to 15 years for possession of counterfeit notes.
The SPF said they take a serious view of involvement in currency counterfeiting and urged anyone who receives a suspected counterfeit note to report it and record details of the person who presented it.
