Benin: the Republican Police dismantles an active counterfeit banknote ring in Porto-Novo

Two individuals were arrested by the police station of the 5th district of Porto-Novo and 1,930,000 F CFA in counterfeit money was seized.

The case came to light after a suspicious operation in a Mobile Money booth. During a transaction, a perpetrator swapped 215,000 F CFA in genuine notes for forged bills before attempting to flee by motorcycle.

The quick reaction of the booth manager, supported by local residents, made it possible to neutralize the suspect, who has now been placed in pretrial detention.

The investigation took another turn when an accomplice showed up to retrieve the first suspect’s motorcycle. Identified by several victims, he was apprehended in possession of more than 1.5 million F CFA in counterfeit bills, as well as nine anonymous SIM cards and three mobile phones.

According to initial findings, the two men had already circulated at least 360,000 F CFA in counterfeit money. Investigators believe the actual amount could be higher, as inquiries continue to identify other links to the network.