Fake Foreign Currency Syndicate Busted In Zimbabwe

Police in Bulawayo have arrested a teenage girl and her boyfriend who were behind a fake foreign currency manufacturing racket.

The teenage girl Chantelle Sibalwa (18) and her boyfriend Onesmus Zimunya (33) were printing the fake currency.

Faceofmalawi has learnt that police are likely to make more arrests as the fake foreign currency manufacturing syndicate could involve more people.

During a raid at Sibalwa and Zimunya’s house, in North End, police recovered a variety of fake high denominations of US dollars and South African Rands stashed under a mattress.

Sibalwa was arrested while trying to use a fake US$100 bill to buy a box of two piecer chicken at a Chicken Inn outlet in the city centre.

She led investigators to her boyfriend Zimunya’s house were US$2 265 and R1 700 in fake money were found, as well as an HP Deskjet printer, bond paper, rulers and razor blades allegedly used in the commission of the crime.

It is suspected the couple could have been changing the fake money for real currency by buying stuff and getting change.

In an interview with The Publication, police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the couple’s arrest.

He urged people to be careful when dealing with foreign currency. Ncube said:

I can confirm that we received and are investigating a case involving fake currency where equipment used to manufacture fake money was recovered. As police we suspect this could be a syndicate involving others and we expect to make more arrests as we continue with our investigations. We urge people to be extra careful and particularly when dealing with foreign currency. Illegal money changers are likely to be markets for such fake currency and those found dealing in illicit activities will face the full wrath of the law

Sources who spoke to the publication said had it not been for an alert cashier, Chantelle would not have been arrested.

Chantelle and Zimunya are set to reappear in court tomorrow facing charges of possession of articles for criminal use.

They made their initial court appearance on Friday and were remanded till tomorrow pending trial. They were released on $1 000 bail each.