Fake Australian banknotes with Chinese characters across the currency’s clear window have been found on a man detained for acting suspiciously in the South Australian regional town of Murray Bridge.
SA Police said the man was reported after being found with the “dodgy banknotes and a slingshot” after someone called in his suspicious activity on Monday night.
He was found with counterfeit notes in denominations of $100, $50 and $20.
Signs of a genuine banknote:
- 1. Printed on plastic
- 2. Australian Coat of Arms
- 3. Diamond patterns inside a circle
- 4. Clear window is part of note, white image cannot easily be rubbed off
Police said they believed similar notes were used to train bank staff and come from China.
“These notes are clearly distinguishable as fakes, as they have obvious Chinese characters across the clear window and dotted lines across the denomination,” SA Police said.
“However, in dark or busy places or with distracted customers, it is possible they could pass temporarily as genuine.”
A search of the 38-year-old’s home, officers found a sling shot and a small quantity of cannabis.
