Police in the Philippines have warned that counterfeit U.S. dollar banknotes are in circulation after arresting three men suspected of tendering fakes in the Resorts World Manila casino resort.
The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported last week that three men have been charged with “estafa” or fraud, and with possession and use of false bank notes.
The government-run news agency quotes National Capital Region Police Office director Guillermo Eleazar, who issued the warning after his officers arrested a 31-year-old Chinese operator of junkets, Tiange Wu; a 53-year-old South Korean, Song Ho-Sang; and a 44-year-old Filipino ex-policeman, Fernando Silanga.
Major-General Eleazar said the suspects had been arrested at Resorts World Manila last Wednesday after security staff there called the police on suspicion that the men were tendering counterfeit banknotes.
The police confiscated from the suspects fake U.S. dollar notes purporting to be worth about US$287,700, with which the suspects are alleged to have tried to buy gambling chips worth the equivalent in Philippine pesos, PHP15 million.
The police said their inquiries led them to suspect that the fakes came from another South Korean, James Park, who was now being sought, PNA reports.
