Alleged counterfeiters nabbed in B.C.

Six people have been arrested in a counterfeit ring that allegedly passed about $300,000 in bogus Canadian currency in B.C., Manitoba and Alberta, Vancouver RCMP say.

The arrests were made Thursday in Vancouver and Coquitlam, B.C., said Sgt. Tony Farahbakhchian of the RCMP's commercial crime section.

"During the execution of the search warrants, a substantial amount of fake Canadian bills — mostly 100s, 50s and 20s — blank credit cards, computers and equipment used in the production of counterfeit banknotes and credit cards was seized," Farahbakhchian said.

"This is a significant seizure as the notes associated to this group amounted to approximately 80 per cent of the total in counterfeit notes being passed in B.C. during the past 10 months."

Four of those arrested were men, two were women, and all are in their 20s, police said. The men remain in custody and the women were released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Farahbakhchian said charges could be laid related to making and passing counterfeit banknotes and to possessing instruments used in producing counterfeits.