Police arrest an alleged fake currency dealer

The Nalerigu Police in the East Mamprusi District in the Northern Region, have arrested a 38-year-old man suspected to be dealing in fake currency notes.

The suspect, whose name had been withheld for security reasons, was arrested with fake currency notes in 10,000 cedis and 20,000 cedis denominations.

The District Commander of Police, Mr Ben Atadana, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the suspect succeeded in buying a cow for 600,000 cedis and paid 200,000 cedis in fake 20,000 cedis denominations.

He said Mr Dagana was arrested with the fake currency notes when he wanted to buy fuel at Nalerigu.

The fuel dealer challenged Mr Dagana and both went to the police station where it was confirmed that the notes were fake.

Mr Dagana told police that a cattle dealer from Accra bought his cow and paid him with the notes. He led the police to Gbintiri where the suspect was met buying more cows with the fake notes.

Mr Atadana said additional 10,000 cedis and 20,000 cedis in fake currency denominations totalling 3.5 million cedis were found on him.

Further interrogations showed that the suspect was a member of a syndicate in Accra who came to the north to buy cows.

The police Commander said on May 17, the suspect bought five cows at 3.1 million cedis and took them to Accra.

However, luck eluded him on May 23 when he was about to pay for a cow at the cost of 600,000 cedis with the fake notes.

Meanwhile Superintendent Atadana has appealed to traders and farmers in the district to be wary of strangers and middlemen of fake currency notes.