Man jailed for passing counterfeit notes
**********************************

A 27-year-old Nigerian man was today (December 1) jailed for 42 months after being convicted of one count of passing counterfeit banknotes and one count of theft.

The District Court heard that the defendant exchanged US$1.35 million banknotes into Hong Kong dollars at a local money exchange shop in Tsim Sha Shui in January this year.

The shopkeeper examined the notes and, believing that 1,000 pieces of US$100 banknotes were counterfeit, reported it to police.

The defendant was arrested and alleged that he was employed as a money courier in Togo to bring the cash to Hong Kong for remittance to the Mainland.

Police investigations uncovered 700 pieces of genuine US$100 banknotes at the defendant's guesthouse and another 304 pieces of genuine US$100 banknotes in his carrying bag.

The defendant was subsequently charged with one count of passing counterfeit banknotes and one count of theft.

The defendant was convicted on both charges and his sentence was handed down today.

Police Report No. 2
Issued by PPRB

End/Monday, December 1, 2008
NNNN