A chemical for printing of fake currencies up to the tune of $100,000 or its Cedi equivalent, has hit the Ghanaian market, information intercepted by Business Day has revealed.
The chemical, which has been shipped from US, is currently in unknown laboratory in the country and could be used to print 99 per cent original currency.
Business Day intercepted the information, when the brain-behind the crime, one gentleman from US by name Andrew, with mobile number +16147683373, mistakenly sent a WhatsApp Message to the Editor of Business Day to inform him about the arrival of the chemical. Business Day has alerted the officials of the Bank of Ghana about the crime.
Below is the screen shot of the WhatsApp Message.
Fake notes passing over retail counters
Every year millions of our fake notes are passed over retail counters and the majority are not identified as counterfeit until they’re examined by the bank. Most often, retail associates don’t know how to identify legitimate money or they rely on the simplest of all anti-counterfeiting tools; the counterfeit pen.
Unfortunately, relying on the pen and counterfeit detector machines alone is not going to catch anyone. These fake currencies are highly indistinguishable to the touch and feel of the hands and look of the naked eyes. This money carries individual serials and bypass all security test including UV-light and iodine counterfeit pen marker. Aside from the banks many counterfeit monies are in places such as shops, restaurants, supermarkets, filling stations, shopping malls, among others
Ill-effects of counterfeit money
Some of the ill-effects that counterfeit money has on society include a reduction in the value of real money; and increase in prices (inflation) due to more money getting circulated in the economy – an unauthorized artificial increase in the money supply; a decrease in the acceptability of paper money; and losses, when traders are not reimbursed for counterfeit money detected by banks, even if it is confiscated.
Shipping of Chemicals
Producers of the chemicals offer both national and international deliveries of great variety of currencies. All their deliveries are fast and discreet. Clients’ delivery information are deleted after delivery in order to ensure a discrete deal because your security is all that matters to us. Tracking number is presented for the clients to monitor the delivery progress of their parcels online.
Business Day checks shows that the packages for the fake currency chemicals are either customized or diplomatic sealed packages. This means that they are custom free. The producers also offer triple vacuum seal and stealth package on all orders so that it cannot be scent detected by canine (dogs) or electronic sniffers.
They also do offer camouflage for such packages, for example, they use games, TV or any other legal goods cartons to deliver the packages so that the buyer receive package as though receiving a newly ordered Electronic item. The delivery usually takes up to 3-5 days
Our investigation shows that the cost of shipping the chemical, known as SSD Solution, is GH¢ 7,000.
By Sheila Williams
