Counterfeit money: Four individuals arrested in Wakhinane-Nimzatt with 86 $100 bills

On September 8, 2026, the Wakhinane-Nimzatt police station arrested four individuals suspected of being involved in a case of possession and attempted circulation of counterfeit banknotes.

The case came to light after a shopkeeper brought to the police station an individual who had come to his currency exchange shop, located in the Ndiareme market. Introducing himself as a mechanic and residing in Gadaye, the suspect wanted to exchange six 50-euro notes and one 100-dollar bill.

A check using a counterfeit detector raised suspicions about the authenticity of the banknotes. Subsequent checks with the EDK bank confirmed that they were indeed counterfeit.

During his hearing, the suspect reportedly confessed to the crimes before providing investigators with information about his alleged supplier. He specifically directed police to Yeumbeul Asecna, near a football field.

Investigators then went to the scene, accompanied by the first suspect. They arrested a high school senior, presented as one of his alleged accomplices. A search of his home uncovered a bag containing 86 $100 bills.

The face value of these bills is estimated at $8,600, or approximately 4.4 million CFA francs. When submitted to EDK for verification, the bills were declared counterfeit.

When questioned about the origin of the money, the second suspect reportedly named another individual residing in Yeumbeul Asecna. A subsequent police operation in the area led to the arrest of two more people.

During questioning, the four suspects reportedly gave conflicting accounts of the banknotes' origin. One of them claimed to have received the bills from his teammate. The teammate, for his part, maintained that a friend had given them to him for a photo shoot.

Following questioning, the four suspects were taken into custody. The investigation is ongoing to determine their level of involvement and to trace the entire suspected chain of events that led to the circulation of the counterfeit banknotes.

Astou Sow