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Counterfeit U.S. bills turn up in Parksville area

Police arrest Qualicum Beach man with several denominations of fake cash
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Oceanside RCMP are warning area businesses and individuals to be on the lookout for counterfeit U.S. money that arrived in the area recently.

The phony U.S. bills would likely be in $5, $10 and/or $20 denominations.

On Wednesday, July 12, the RCMP was alerted by a French Creek business that a male suspect had tried to use a counterfeit U.S. bill at his business, police said in a news release.

Oceanside RCMP officers later located the suspect, a 29-year-old Qualicum Beach man, in downtown Parksville and made an arrest. The male, who is well known to police, was in possession of drugs and “a significant quantity” of U.S. counterfeit bills in $5, $10 and $20 denominations, according to the news release.

Throughout the day, other businesses in the French Creek area reported suspects attempting to pass counterfeit U.S. bills, the RCMP added.

“Businesses in the Oceanside area should be on alert and very suspicious of U.S. currency,” said Cpl. Jesse Foreman, RCMP spokesperson. “It would appear that there is a batch of this counterfeit currency in the area.”

The Oceanside RCMP said there are several excellent websites that give advice and tutorials about identifying counterfeit U.S. cash, including the Bank of Canada Counterfeit Prevention web page.

— NEWS Staff and Oceanside RCMP news release