KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — A black money syndicate has resurfaced and this time the culprits are two Chinese nationals and a Singaporean.
They were detained on Dec 26 after police received a report over a fight in an apartment unit in Jalan Ampang.
KL commercial crime department chief ACP Izany Abdul Ghany said the suspects, aged between 45 and 54, were detained after they were embroiled in a fight among themselves over a foreign currency investment.
Izany, who was accompanied by Cheras police chief ACP Mohan Singh, raided the apartment and found several items believed to have been used by the syndicate.
“We found stacks of paper notes believed to be of US$100 (RM328) and bottles containing liquid to wash the black powder from the fake notes,” said Izany.
Police also found eight metal safes containing 5,373 pieces of fake US$100 notes and 832 pieces of fake RM100 notes.
“We are waiting for confirmation from Bank Negara and the US Embassy regarding the paper notes,” he said.
According to the police, black money syndicates were usually run by Nigerians where pieces of paper, claimed to be US dollars, are ‘blackened’ by a special chemical which can only be washed off with a special liquid.
They would take a real US dollar, blackened it and then wash with the secret chemical to convince buyers that it is real.
He added the three suspects had been in and out of the country since 2011 and had rented the apartment since 2012.
“We believe they have been operating in the Klang Valley together with a group of Africans since early last year.” said Izany.
Police estimated the money seized valued at RM1.3 million.
They have been remanded until Jan 15 for further investigation for possession of forged or counterfeited currency.
