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AKARTA: West Jakarta Police have arrested five suspects, identified only as ASS, SJ, AVW, MA and LSE, for allegedly printing and distributing counterfeit money.

West Jakarta Police chief Comr. Rudy Heriyanto said on Friday that the police nabbed ASS in Tangerang, Banten, while four others were apprehended at a house in Cileunyi, Bandung Regency, where they had produced the money. All of the arrests took place on Thursday.

'€œWe arrested the suspects after receiving a tipoff about counterfeit money received by Rady, an angkot [public minivan] driver, and Hangriawan Gustindi, a vendor at Semanan Market in Kalideres, West Jakarta,'€ Rudy said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

From the arrest, Ruddy said, the police had confiscated evidence, including printed Rp 50,000 (US$3.40) banknotes worth around Rp 16 million, a laminating machine, six ink cans, seven ribbons and a set of printing tools.

He said that the suspects had produced and distributed the counterfeit money for six months, with a total amount of Rp 200 million.

'€œThey distributed the money by doing transactions in various places, such as kiosks and gas stations,'€ Rudy said. He went on to say that the suspects would face Article 245 of the Criminal Code on the distribution of counterfeit currency, which carried a maximum penalty of 15-years imprisonment.