TRNC police issue warning of fake 100TL banknotes in circulation, two arrested

Turkish Cypriot police have arrested two people and seized fake 100TL bills worth a total of 4,500 TL warning the public to be alert and to report anyone suspected of passing counterfeit banknotes to their nearest police station.

The suspects identified only as OB and YB, were arrested on Tuesday and taken to a court in Lefkosa on Wednesday for the crimes of "Saving Counterfeit Banknotes, buying goods by fraud and circulating counterfeit Banknotes".

Police said one of the suspects bought good worth 86 TL in a shop with a fake 100 Turkish Lira banknote and received 13TL as change. He was caught red handed while trying to use the same tactics to procure goods in another market.

Police found more counterfeit notes following a search at their residence. It was determined that the money in question was put into circulation at different workplaces throughout the TRNC.

Police said that the suspects admitted their crimes by giving voluntary testimony on the matter, and in the voluntary statement of OB, he said that he brought some of the money to TRNC from Turkey since June, 10, 2020.

His flatmate also  YB also stated that he had brought the subject money to the TRNC on October, 29,2020. 

The serial numbers of the seized counterfeit banknotes are as follows:

C490542321, C452543305, C414546301, C520800345, C478657587, C748457154, C621341215, C325754621, C254568941.

It is possible that more of the fake banknotes have been circulated in shops, banks, foreign exchange companies, financial institutions, markets.

If any of the counterfeit banknotes are discovered the police urgently request that it be reported to the nearest police station.