Portuguese man arrested with counterfeit dollars released – Mozambique

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Portuguese man arrested with counterfeit dollars released – Mozambique

10:47 CAT | 22 Mar 2017

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A Portuguese man arrested last week in possession of US$5,700 dollars in counterfeit notes by border police in Machipanda, between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, has been released.

“Strangely, this citizen was returned to freedom, subject to statement of identity and residence, by the Investigating Judge of Chimoio [Manica],” police spokesman Inacio Dina announced at the weekly balance of activities press conference.

The 53-year-old Guimarães native, who lives in Beira, Mozambique’s second-largest city, was detained on March 15 after a search by immigration services. Dina said the investigation to ensure the man’s “proper accountability” would continue despite the court ruling.

“It is known that the man has a house in Beira, but due to the circumstances of his detention and the nature of the crime he committed, further investigation is necessary to avoid repeat offences,” the Mozambican police spokesman said.

The man is the manager of a trading firm in Beira and travels to Zimbabwe frequently. Zimbabwe has adopted the US dollar as its de facto currency after failed agrarian reforms in 2008 resulted in economic crisis.

This is not the first case involving counterfeit currency in Manica this year, authorities say. A gang of young people exchanging hundreds of counterfeit Mozambican banknotes was recently dismantled, police said.

Source: Lusa