Mozambique: Police arrest alleged currency counterfeiter in Nampula

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Mozambique: Police arrest alleged currency counterfeiter in Nampula

10:28 CAT | 05 Feb 2021

Enina Tsinine, SERNIC spokesperson in Nampula. [Photo: Rádio Encontro Nampula]

A Congolese citizen was detained by the Mozambicans police on Sunday in the northern province of Nampula, for his involvement in an illegal currency counterfeiting scheme, according to a report in Thursday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”.

Sources in the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) said the Congolese was arrested in Mutauanha neighbourhood in Nampula city, where he had been expecting to receive his partners in crime from the neighbouring province of Zambezia.

“We were tipped-off about a group of people coming from Quelimane (capital of Zambezia) about to enter Nampula city, with the mission of printing counterfeit money. Police investigations led to the detention of an individual in possession of false bills of 200, 500 and 1000 meticais,” the sources said.

At the place where the counterfeit money was printed, the authorities found liquid and powdered products presumably used for the crime.

The accused has denied all the accusations claiming that they are baseless and that there is no evidence against him.

Despite his denials, at the time of his arrest he was in possession of the material supposedly used to print the counterfeit bills. The accused also claimed that he had fallen into a trap set up by SERNIC agents. According to his account, he received a contact from someone whose identity he declined to reveal, but who needed the tools to print counterfeit money.

“As I decided to go and hand over the tools for money printing, I was intercepted by SERNIC officers who arrested me shortly afterwards,” said the Congolese citizen.

Source: AIM