3,619 suspects arrested for fake notes

By Zhu Zhe (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-09-09 16:34

Police have seized 684 million yuan ($100 million) of fake banknotes and arrested 3,619 suspects for making and selling fake notes since a national crackdown started on January 20.

The suspects, mainly from the southern Guangdong province, were involved in 1,807 fake note cases, Zhang Tao, deputy director of the criminal investigation bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, told a press conference Tuesday.

He said most of the fake notes are produced on the Chinese mainland, mainly in Guangdong, with a small amount of others coming from Taiwan. Anhui, Henan and Hunan provinces are named as high-risk distributing areas.

People are advised to pay more attention when they buy commodities from small vendors and at farm markets, where suspects often try to spend fake notes for changes, Zhang said.

He also said fake notes with smaller denomination, such as of 50 yuan and 20 yuan, are increasing. More fake coins are in the market as well.