More than $54,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency has been seized by Richmond RCMP from a passenger flying into YVR.
Officers stationed at YVR received a report from the Canada Border Services Agency that they had a male in custody after currency suspected to be counterfeit was located in his checked luggage.
Upon arrival, the officers determined that the male had just returned to Canada after being in Africa for a month. The currency was found bundled and concealed in items of clothing.
A counterfeit currency expert from the E Division Commercial Crime Section along with a special agent from the United States Secret Service examined the currency in $100 bills on site and confirmed that it was counterfeit.
This is quite a substantial seizure, said Cpl. Johanne Noel from the E Divisions Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team.
Since January 2011 our total amount of passed and seized counterfeit U.S. currency for British Columbia has been approximately $179,012.
This seizure represents just over one third of the total U.S. counterfeits seized in B.C. this year.
The passenger a 40-year-old New Westminster resident was arrested after allegedly concealing the cash on Sept. 16.
Richmond RCMP have recommended a charge of possession of counterfeit currency against the male who will be appearing in court Oct. 4.
