Montréal, January 18, 2007– After dismantling a clandestine
print shop making counterfeit bank notes and seizing thousands of CAN
$20 before Christmas in Saint-Hubert, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) has just recovered an additional 9,000 counterfeit $20 bills.
The federal police is urging the public to be vigilant.
On December 18, 2006 the Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team, made
up of officers of the RCMP, Sûreté du Québec and
US Secret Service, in co-operation with the Service de police de
la Ville de Longueuil uncovered a clandestine print shop in Saint-Hubert that
was making counterfeit $20 of the “Birds of Canada” series.
As a result of the searches conducted then, the RCMP recovered 18,000
counterfeit $20 linked to this print shop.
There are still counterfeit notes of this series in circulation, mainly
in Quebec but also in other parts of Canada. For this reason, the RCMP
is asking the public to remain vigilant when conducting transaction involving
$20 bills. It only takes a few seconds to check if a Canadian bank note
is genuine. Anyone who thinks they may have a counterfeit or suspicious
bank note in their possession must retain the note, record details of
the note and how it was received, contact their local police and give
them the note.
On a counterfeit note, the optical security device appearing on the top
left corner does not change colour from green to gold as is the case
with authentic notes.
Also, the counterfeit notes that are in
circulation may be identified through a planchette (green dot) that always
appears at the same place on the note.
The RCMP, in partnership with the Bank of Canada,
Info-Crime Quebec and the Association des directeurs de police du
Québec,
have developed a program called Counterfeit Money, It's Criminal to educate
the public
on Canadian bank note counterfeiting prevention. More information on
this program can be obtained by contacting the RCMP by email at: fausse.monnaie@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or by visiting the RCMP Internet site at: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca or the
Bank of Canada site at: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/index.html.
The RCMP invites anyone who may have information concerning suspicious
activities related to money counterfeiting to contact Info-Crime at 1
800 711-1800 or their local police agency.
As a result of the operation on December 18, 2006, Marcel Ménard,
43, was charged with making, possession and uttering counterfeit money,
and with making, having or dealing in instruments for counterfeiting
under Sections 449, 450, 452 and 458 of the Criminal Code. Marcel Ménard
is scheduled to appear in court in Montreal on February 13, 2007 in relation
to these charges. The RCMP continues its investigation and expects that
more arrests will be made.
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For information:
RCMP Communications Office (Montréal)
(514) 939-8308
