Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A 41-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly attempting to spend tens of millions of rupiah in counterfeit money at a shopping mall in South Jakarta. The suspect has been detained for further investigations.
The case was confirmed by the Police. According to Mampang Prapatan Police Chief Commissioner Aba Wahid Key, the woman was apprehended on Thursday, April 3, after she was caught using fake bills at Lippo Mall Mampang, located in the Kemang area.
“The suspect deliberately attempted to spend counterfeit money at the mall,” Wahid told reporters on Friday, April 4.
The incident came to light when a cashier at one of the stores noticed something suspicious about the banknotes the woman used during a transaction. Using an ultraviolet scanner, the cashier discovered the bills were likely counterfeit and immediately alerted mall security.
“The cashier was the first to detain the suspect after identifying the money as fake,” Wahid said.
Officers from the Mampang Prapatan Police arrived shortly after being notified by mall management. Upon searching the woman’s bag, police discovered Rp40 million worth of counterfeit currency, all in Rp100,000 denominations.
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Following a series of interrogations, the suspect was formally declared a criminal offender and placed in police custody.
“The suspect has been detained. We’ve handed the case over to the South Jakarta Metro Police for further investigation,” Wahid added.
Wahid added that the woman’s identity is being withheld pending the ongoing probe. “The case is now being handled by the South Jakarta Metro Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit to ensure a more thorough investigation,” he said.
Authorities have urged the public regarding the counterfeit money, particularly business owners and cashiers, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious currency transactions. While the Police continues its investigations as an efforts to crack down counterfeit money circulation in the capital.
(Raidi/Agung)
