Two men were convicted in court for using counterfeit S$50 notes as payment for an online purchase, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) stated on Wednesday (14 November).
In a press release, the police said that it received a report on the matter on 18 October 2017. The victim had received the counterfeit notes when she met up with a buyer who had responded to her Carousell listing advertising the sale of a handphone.
Through extensive follow-up investigations, the Police arrested 19-year-old Denzel Raphael Haran on 6 November 2017. His accomplice, 25-year-old Mohan Raj S/O Prem, was arrested on 13 November 2017. Four pieces of counterfeit S$50 notes were seized as case exhibits.
On 12 October 2018, Mohan was sentenced to 4 years and 2 weeks’ imprisonment and 6 strokes of cane for one charge of forging or counterfeiting currency notes under Section 489A of the Penal Code, one charge of abetment by conspiracy in using as genuine forged or counterfeit currency notes under Section 489B read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, as well as multiple charges for other offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act, Road Traffic Act, Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offences Weapons Act and the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Denzel was sentenced to undergo reformative training for a minimum of 6 months’ detention in a reformative training centre for one charge of using as genuine forged or counterfeit currency notes under Section 489B of the Penal Code on 12 November 2018.
The police reminds members of the public to be vigilant and to examine any money you may receive by checking for common security features. Information on the security features of genuine Singapore currency is available on the MAS’ website.
The police said that if members of the public suspect that to have received a counterfeit currency note, please adopt the following measures:
- Delay the presenter, if possible, and call the Police at ‘999’ immediately;
- Observe the presenter’s description, such as gender, race, age, height, built, attire, ear-studs, language or dialect spoken as well as that of any companions;
- Note the vehicle registration number (if any); and
- Limit the handling of the suspected note and place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope, to prevent any tampering and hand it over to the Police immediately.
