DILI (TOP) - Authorities failed to arrest two suspected Chinese nationals who allegedly shopped with counterfeit money at Centro Supermercado in Kampung Alor, Dili, who fled out of Dili to Bali, Indonesia today.
Two suspects who brought counterfeit money to buy goods at the Centro Supermercado in Avenida Praia dos Coqueiros, Díli, are fled Timor-Leste through the President Nicolau Lobato International Airport, Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Relevant news story: Police arrested three Chinese men suspected of bringing counterfeit money into Dili
According to security source from the airport said, two suspects (only male) with Chinese nationality, left the International Airport President Nicolau Lobato with Citilink plane on the route Dili-Denpasar, Bali-Indonesia.
Security authorities have been looking for the two suspects based on evidence of CCTV recordings at the Supermarket Center when they both brought counterfeit money to buy goods. However, the two managed to deviate (hide) from the security authorities of Timor-Leste until they escaped from the jurisdiction of Timor-Leste by Citilink plane.
Information from the secret service sources also confirmed that a few hours before the Citilink plane took-off, some families of the other three defendants who have served pre-trial detention, contacted the police to inform that the two suspects who brought counterfeit money to buy goods at the International Airport Supermarket Center were already at Nicolabate International Airport. to run.
After hearing this information, the security authorities made efforts to arrest, but when the security authorities arrived at the airport, the two suspects were already on board the plane and the condition of the plane also began to move on the airport runway to take-off.
Information gathered by the security authorities that the two suspects brought counterfeit US$100.00 of the total amount of US$4 million to buy goods or make transactions in the market.
On April 15, 2026, the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) through the Directorate of Criminal Investigation Services executed a search warrant from the Public Prosetor Office to the Y&W warehouse in Bidau, Dili, and discovered counterfeit money in the amount of US$4 million.
Y&W Warehouse is located in Sagrada Família sub-village, Bidau Santana village, Cristo Rei Administrative Post, Díli Municipality. In the process of search and seizure, authorities detained the suspects as four foreign citizens.
After the search and seizure, the police immediately brought evidence of counterfeit money and secured four foreign citizens as workers for the Y&W store and warehouse to be identified and submitted to investigation at the Criminal Investigation Services Directorate office at the police Headquarters.
Relevant news story: Police confiscate a car allegedly circulating counterfeit money in Dili
Through the first interrogation trial in the Judicial Court of First Instance Dili (TJPIS), Saturday, April 18, 2026, Judge Ana Palu Fonseca, applied preventive detention measures to three defendants with the initials WYF, JT and WY involved in the case of money laundering fake US$100.00 with a total of US$4 million.
The three defendants with Chinese nationality became important managers in the company Y&W, with the composition of defendant WYF, as Executive Director, Defendant JT as Manager and Defendant WY, as head of warehouse.
