Posted:
(1:00 p.m.)
Investigators with the HRP/RCMP Integrated Financial Crime Unit have charged a man in connection with cases where counterfeit money has been passed.
Over the last three weeks, police have received 12 reports of counterfeit American twenty dollar bills being passed in various businesses in HRM. In every case, the bills have the serial number JL84864491B and the ink on the paper will run if it gets wet. Investigators have been in contact with police in Windsor and Wolfville about similar cases where counterfeit American twenty dollar bills with the same serial number have been passed in their area.
As a result of the investigation, officers assigned to the HRP/RCMP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division conducted a search of an apartment in the 100 block of Albro Lake Road on August 17. A man was arrested without incident and officers seized counterfeit bus tickets, America five and twenty dollar bills as well as equipment used to manufacture counterfeit money. Officers were also able to link the man to the case where counterfeit money was passed at a business in Dartmouth Crossing on August 8.
A 41-year-old man is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on October 16 to face charges of forgery, making false documents, making counterfeit money and possession of counterfeit money. He also faces charges of uttering counterfeit money in connection with incident in Dartmouth Crossing.
Last week, a 36-year-old Dartmouth man was charged with uttering counterfeit money and is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court at a later date. In that case, a counterfeit American twenty dollar bill with the same serial number was passed at a business on Albro Lake Road earlier this month.
To date, the Integrated Financial Crime Unit has laid charges in four of the 12 cases. Eight incidents remain under investigation and further charges have not been ruled out. To report incidents involving counterfeit money, call 490-5020.