RM30 mil fake banknotes seized

SHAH ALAM: Police seized fake banknotes of various currencies amounting to RM30 million following the arrest of an Iranian who allegedly lured a female bank officer to invest RM400,000 in a black money syndicate on Wednesday.
Selangor police chief senior DCP Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said today the case was the biggest bust by state police involving black money scam.
He said the 54-year-old Iranian had preyed on his victims, mainly women in online social media networks and masqueraded as a wealthy businessman from Sweden.
He said the suspect would sweet-talk his victims into parting with their money after claiming he intended to set up a business here, but was unable to remit cash into Malaysia due to customs laws.
He said the suspect had also offered to double his victims investment after enticing them with a pile of counterfeit banknotes.
Following a police report lodged by a 51-year-old victim days earlier, the suspect was held after police raided an apartment unit in Sentul. Among the many items seized were banknotes and the machines used to produce them.
Police also learnt that the suspect was the mastermind of a syndicate that had entered Malaysia several times on a three-month visit visa.
Investigators believe the suspect and his "agents" who are still at large may have fleeced many others who are yet to lodge police reports.