Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesian police, in collaboration with Bank Indonesia (BI), have begun verifying counterfeit money serial number, seized from an illegal printing operation at the campus of Alauddin State Islamic University (UIN Alauddin) in Gowa, South Sulawesi.
Authorities has confiscated 4,800 counterfeit 100,000-rupiah banknotes during the crackdown. The fake money was already cut and prepared for circulation.
“Currently, we are counting the cut banknotes first; the uncut ones will follow,” said Gowa Police Chief AKBP Reonald Simanjuntak on Tuesday, December 24, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Reonald explained that the counting process aims to verify the serial numbers on the counterfeit bills, but the final confirmation of authenticity rests with Bank Indonesia experts.
“This is to ensure we examine each serial number thoroughly. BI will provide expert verification on whether the money is counterfeit,” he added.
Counterfeit Money Distributions
Authorities also revealed the distribution tactics used by the counterfeiters. According to Gowa Police Chief AKBP Reonald Simanjuntak, the suspects primarily circulated the fake bills at night, taking advantage of poor lighting conditions, which made it harder for recipients to detect irregularities.
The counterfeiters often targeted crowded locations such as gas stations and busy retail stores, where cashiers, overwhelmed by long queues, had little time to inspect banknotes thoroughly.
Additionally, some individuals purchased counterfeit money using real currency, exchanging 1 million rupiah in genuine bills for a larger sum in fake notes, further fueling the illicit trade.
The suspects admitted that they specifically targeted the 100,000-rupiah denomination because smaller denominations offered less profit, as the production cost would outweigh the potential gains.
The police disclosed that the production cost of counterfeit 100,000-rupiah banknotes printed at the State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin in Makassar, South Sulawesi, was approximately Rp56,000 per note (about $3.50).
Massive Counterfeit Operation Unveiled
Police investigations revealed a sophisticated counterfeit money factory operating within the UIN Alauddin campus. Police seized trillions of rupiah worth of fake currency and financial documents including counterfeit BI deposit certificates valued at Rp45 trillion ($2.8 billion) and a government bond certificate worth Rp700 trillion ($43 billion).
Indonesian Police Pursue Mastermind Suspects in Counterfeit Money of UIN Alauddin Campus
In addition to the 4,554 counterfeit 100,000-rupiah notes (2016 series) and 234 uncut sheets of similar banknotes, authorities also confiscated foreign currencies, including a 5,000-won South Korean note and 111 Vietnamese dong notes.
The investigation is ongoing as police intensify efforts to apprehend suspects still at large and dismantle the counterfeit network entirely. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious financial activity to prevent further circulation of fake currency.
(Raidi/Agung)
