A spike in counterfeit currency circulating in Prince George has led to a search warrant and arrests this morning.
At approximately 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday March 21, the Prince George RCMP with assistance from the North District Emergency Response Team, executed a search warrant at a residence on Monahan Crescent.
The warrant was part of an ongoing investigation into the possession and production of counterfeiting currency in Prince George. Two women were arrested inside the home. The investigation is continuing.
From January 1 to March 21 last year, the Prince George RCMP received nine reports of counterfeit currency in our community. During the same period this year, the detachment received 44 reports, an increase of 389 per cent.
Police are asking everyone in the community who handles cash as part of their job, to take the time and check each and every bill received to help ensure its authenticity, whether the currency is Canadian or American. Canadian currency has a number of built in security features to help handlers detect counterfeit cash. The following Bank of Canada web page fully describes these security features with accompanying photographs: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/bank-note-series/frontiers/100-polymer-note/.
If you have any information about counterfeit activity in our community, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only). You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest, seizure of counterfeit currency or recovery of stolen property, you could be eligible for a cash reward.
