A Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) officer and his son-in-law were arrested separately on Thursday and Friday in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey province for producing tens of thousands of dollars of counterfeit U.S. banknotes, officials said Sunday.
Police arrested Tang Thearith, 35, in Poipet City on Thursday after he tried to pay for goods in a local market using fake $100 bills.
He subsequently led police to a house in Tuol Ta Ek commune in Battambang City the next day, which was owned by his father-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel Soy Vansak, 50, where they discovered the counterfeiting operation, Poipet City police chief Oum Sophal said.
“On Thursday, police arrested Mr. Thearith carrying 203 fake $100 bills [$20,300]…and at the property in Battambang we discovered a further $30,000,” he said, adding that both suspects confessed to producing the seized counterfeit cash.
Battambang Provincial Court prosecutor Nuon San said that the investigating team at the house in Battambang also found a large quantity of paper and other materials used to produce the counterfeit dollars, adding that the case was in the jurisdiction of the Banteay Meanchey authorities.
“I joined this investigation once it came to Battambang, but the police have sent [Mr. Vansak] along with the evidence to the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court, where the suspects will be charged,” Mr. San said.
