Four mainland men sentenced for counterfeit banknotes related offences

Four mainland men, aged from 21 to 28, were convicted of conspiracy to pass counterfeit banknotes and each sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment at the District Court today (January 16).

The court heard that in the afternoon of August 28, 2005, the four men were found acting suspiciously on Yun Ping Road in Wan Chai by Police officers who were conducting anti-quick cash crime operation in the area.

Officers found that they had patronized several shops and tried to make small purchases with suspected counterfeit $500 banknotes but were rejected by the shopkeepers due to the poor quality of the notes tendered.

Police officers later arrested the four men on Matheson Street after seizing four counterfeit $500 banknotes in their possession. A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of 18 more suspected counterfeit $500 banknotes from a bag carried the 28-year-old man. Upon further enquiries, Police officers recovered five more suspected counterfeit $500 banknotes from five shops in the area.

Enquiries revealed that the 28-year-old man had arranged the three other defendants to come to Hong Kong and sold to them the counterfeit $500 notes at a price of $200 each for making small purchases in shops.

The four men were subsequently charged with conspiracy to pass counterfeit notes in September 2005. They pleaded guilty to their charges and the sentence was meted out at the District Court today.


Police Report No.5
Issued by PPRB

End/Monday, January 16, 2005