DILI (TOP) - The National Police of Timor-Leste through the team of the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate continues to conduct a new operation in Bidau Santa Ana Warehouse to confiscate a small silver car that is suspected to be used to transport counterfeit money to transact in shops in Dili.
In this operation, authorities also brought together a Chinese citizen suspected of involvement in the counterfeit money network, and is now being held in police detention for further investigation.
Security sources said the secured car was suspected of being used as the main means of distributing counterfeit money, which was then used to buy goods in stores that could harm traders and the local economy in the country.
The criminal investigation service ensures that the operation will continue to find and dismantle the criminal network of counterfeit money that could cause instability in the country's financial system.
Relevant story: Police arrested three chinese men suspected of bringing counterfeit money into Dili
Authorities appeal to the public to always be alert and report suspicious activity, to prevent the circulation of counterfeit money in the community.
After the case happened, Prime-Minister (PM), Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão immediately visited the PNTL Headquarters to see more closely the counterfeit money, and guided the Commander-in-Chief of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL), Assistant Commissioner Afonso dos Santos and his Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Commissioner Natercia Eufrasia Martins to continue to conduct a thorough investigation into citizens suspected of keeping counterfeit US dollars.
The Head of Government gave this guidance after the PNTL Command itself through the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate team identified a large amount of counterfeit US dollars in the warehouse of the Chinese Store in Sagrada Familia sub-village, Bidau Santa village, Dili.
The Head of Government also appreciated the action of the PNTL that discovered and detected citizens with bad intentions to bring counterfeit money into Timor-Leste.
On the other hand, President of the Republic (PR), José Ramos-Horta when meeting with Prime-Minister (PM), Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, April 16, 2026 asked to impose severe penalties to the perpetrators who imported counterfeit money to Timor Leste (TL).
“The President of the Republic asks me as Head of Government to communicate with the relevant institutions must give severe punishment to the perpetrators who import counterfeit money into our country,” PM Xanana said to journalists at the Presidential Palace, Dili, Thursday, April 16, 2026.
PM Xanana added, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, he also went to see directly the counterfeit money in Bidau Santa Ana, and also went to the PNTL Headquarters to get some information.
“When I arrived there, the police did not report, but I received information from someone who went to the Centro Shopping Center in Pantai Kelapa to buy goods and saw counterfeit money starting to circulate. They are not know exactly where to go, but luckily saw the CCTV recording that found these people walking in and out of their car that they went to the house in Bidau Santa Ana where they managed to get counterfeit money with a large amount, “PM Xanana said.
“This morning I came to inform the President of the Republic about this issue and the President also said please inform our institutions to immediately put the perpetrators in prison, can not make detention 72 hours only,” PM Xanana informed.
The detection of counterfeit money amounting to US$ 4 million took place on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at the warehouse of Chinese traders located in Bidau Santa Ana area, Dili.
The amount of counterfeit money is now being secured in the criminal investigation section to continue to conduct further investigation according to the existing law.
