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Police today (December 4) smashed a fake $10 coin factory in Tsuen Wan and neutralised a syndicate following the arrest of six men and seven women aged between 22 and 55.

In September this year the Hong Kong Police, Guangdong Public Security Bureau and Shenzhen Public Security Bureau mounted investigations into a counterfeit coin syndicate which has been active in taxis, maxicabs, stores and newspaper vendor stalls for about half a year.

At about 1.45 pm today, Police officers from the Commercial Crime Bureau spotted a man handing over a bag to another man who was suspected to be the mastermind of the syndicate at the entrance to an industrial building on Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan. The latter then boarded a taxi for Sham Shui Po where he gave the bag to a third man.

At this juncture, the officers intercepted the two men and found about 4 000 suspected fake $10 coins in their possession.

A subsequent search on a unit in the industrial building found 24 moulds and three sets of heavy-duty machines believed to have been used to manufacture fake coins. Some 15 000 finished products and about 45 000 semi-finished products were also discovered.

A 55-year-old man suspected to be the technician for manufacturing the coins were apprehended in the unit.

Further raids on 19 other locations such as Sham Shui Po and places mainly in Kowloon saw the arrest of three men and seven women.

In these locations about 5 000 suspected fake $10 coins were seized.

All the arrested persons, including the mastermind, technician and distributors, will be detained overnight for enquiries.

Investigations by the Commercial Crime Bureau are proceeding.

Police Report No.3

Issued by PPRB

End/hours, Thursday, December 4, 2003 (PW)

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