A man from Bălți was arrested after he put fake U.S. dollars into circulation in December 2022 – January 2023. According to preliminary data, the money was smuggled into Moldova from Turkey at the end of last year, IPN reports.

The Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases said the 47-year-old man was arrested in Sângerei on Monday. Counterfeit dollar bills totaling US$117,000 were seized as a result of searches. The man was arrested on his way from Balti to Chisinau where he intended to make purchases with false banknotes.

The bills were allegedly received by the suspect from the leader of the criminal group, who entrusted him with the task of putting the money into circulation. Last November, the leader was arrested by the Bulgarian authorities on the border with Turkey, when he tried to smuggle US$70,000 in counterfeit bills hidden in the vehicle’s ceiling into Bulgaria.

The prosecutors are to decide whether to ask for remand detention for him or not.