In the second half of October, police officers from the Police Station in Prochowice (near Legnica) received information that counterfeit 100-zloty banknotes had appeared in the town. Police officers from Prochowice and Legnica worked diligently to solve the case. Their intensive efforts quickly led them to two people involved in the practice.

The police findings indicated that the man deliberately misled the staff at a petrol station and, under the pretext of changing money, handed an employee a counterfeit 100-zloty banknote. Several days later, he went to the station again and tried to pay for goods with a fake note. An alert employee detected that the banknote was not genuine. The man then became aggressive and threatened to kill the employee if he did not return the counterfeit banknote, after which he left.

Further police findings indicated that a woman was also behind the circulation of the counterfeit money. The 34-year-old was allegedly passing counterfeit money to other people. All the findings gathered led police to detain two residents of Prochowice, aged 25 and 34, and to secure several counterfeit banknotes.

The evidence collected allowed charges to be brought against the man and woman for putting counterfeit means of payment into circulation. They may face up to 10 years in prison. At the request of the police, the District Prosecutor in Legnica placed them under police supervision.

The investigation established that the counterfeit money was intended to be props on a film set, and that the prop master was responsible for making it available. The man gave it to acquaintances during a drinking party. They then put it into circulation. The investigation is ongoing, and the people involved in the practice have the status of suspects.

The counterfeit money, which was intended to be used as props, had been printed at a printing house contrary to the instructions. It was not marked as counterfeit and was deceptively similar to the genuine notes.

Police appeal to everyone, especially shopkeepers, to check accepted banknotes carefully, preferably using UV testers. If a suspicious banknote is found, please notify the police immediately. Promptly providing information may help identify and detain criminals putting counterfeit means of payment into circulation.

We remind you of the basic features that distinguish counterfeit banknotes from genuine ones:

  • no watermarks,
  • no security features visible under UV light,
  • no security features made with metallic and optically variable ink,
  • no security features made using a special printing technique that can be felt by touch (these elements are “raised” and can be characteristically detected by moving a finger or fingernail over them).