Police detain money forgers in Chisinau

The police in Ciocana district caught two 23-year-old men from Causeni town, who live temporarily in Chisinau, in the act of trying to put 300 forged banknotes with a face value of 200 lei into circulation on November 20, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on Thursday, Viorel Vrajitor, deputy police commissioner of Ciocana district, said the culprits were forging and putting into circulation notes of 20, 50, 100 and 200 lei. According to the police, the exchange rate was 60 genuine lei for 200 forged lei. Before arresting the two men, police officers under cover 'purchased' 20,000 counterfeit lei. After detaining the culprits, the police searched their place and found a laboratory for forging banknotes, advanced multiplication and scanning equipment, special ink and paper, samples of notes and other means that could be used to forge 2,500 banknotes to the value of half a million lei. The offenders put forged notes into circulation in Chisinau and in districts. The counterfeit money was used to pay for products at markets, gas stations and other places. The two men are liable to 5 to 10 years in prison.