Over $100,000 in fake Canadian money from China seized by RCMP

Atlantic RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency worked together to seize more than $100,000 in fake currency being shipped in from China.

The months-long investigation led officers from the RCMP to multiple jurisdictions hunting down the fake currency and making sure it didn’t spread.

“Unfortunately, counterfeit money is in circulation across the country,” Cpl. Mitch Thompson of the Commercial Crime Section, said in a press release. “When printed on polymer, some fake bills may look real if you don’t pay attention to the security features embedded in legitimate currency.”

It started on Jan. 9, when border officers at a Quebec airport intercepted a package with counterfeit holographic stickers that looked like security strips on Canadian cash. A few weeks later, on Jan. 27, border agents at an Ontario processing facility found $30,000 in fake bills including $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes.

This is when officials discovered the currency was supposed to be sent to an address in Nova Scotia. RCMP in the area around Glace Bay, near Sydney, started getting ready for a raid.

On Feb. 11 they executed a search warrant at a residence and found holographic stickers, and about $70,000 in fake money, electronic devices and a rifle. RCMP in Nova Scotia are continuing the investigation.

For businesses accepting cash, RCMP say people need to take note of the security features.

“In Canada, it’s an offence to knowingly use or possess counterfeit money,” Thompson said. “And if you unknowingly accept counterfeit cash as legal tender, you can’t be reimbursed; you’re on the hook for the loss. Being familiar with the security features of genuine bank notes will help you spot counterfeits at a glance, protecting yourself from fraud.”

Police say they have been intercepting a lot of currency from China and are warning people to stay vigilant.