Huge Sums of Fake Banknotes Injected in Markets Eastern Algeria

Investigation Unit at the National Gendarmerie of Algiers broke up a counterfeiting gang specialized in money fraud with the use of high-tech techniques.

The gang used to operate through the triangle of Algiers, Setif and M’sila, as detectives managed to arrest four people, and recouped 700 thousand fake DZD.

The operation started when the IU at Algiers National Gendarmerie collected accurate information about a man suspected of trafficking local banknotes, in the locality of Rouiba, in the eastern outskirts of Algiers.

The suspect on board of his car was subjected to search in a checkpoint in 26 September, where detectives discovered a sum of 300 thousand DZD.

The money was sent for examination to the Central Headquarter of National Gendarmerie in upper Algiers, as investigators confirmed that the 300 thousand DZD are forged. The Central Bank and the Anti-Crime National Institute were solicited for an expertise on the fake money, too.

The suspect was subjected cross examinations, and revealed that he used to receive the fake 1000 DZD banknotes from a man installed in El Eulma locality, in Setif eastern province, while the fake 500 DZD fake banknotes were furnished by a trafficker from Berhoume municipality, in Msila province.

Yet, detectives moved to Setif province, where they arrested three suspects, holding 400 thousand DZD, and rolls of silver paper used in fake money operations, in addition to a set of high quality prints and informatics devices. 

The general prosecutor at the court of Rouiba has sent three suspects to custody, while the fourth suspect is placed under legal constraints pending trial.

National Gendarmerie’s informatics experts are working on figuring out the number of the printed fake banknotes by examining the recouped informatics devices, while investigators are yet to confirm the sum injected in the black market in east of the country.