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User:Mindmatrix/Skunkworks/Currency counterfeiting in Canada

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Currency counterfeiting in Canada refers to the production of counterfeit money in Canada.

Cases

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See also: Birds of Canada (banknotes) § Counterfeiting

The most notorious example of currency counterfeiting in Canada is that of Wesley Weber, who by 2001 had reproduced a near replica version of the one hundred-dollar banknote in the Birds of Canada series.[1]

Thwarting counterfeiting was the impetus for the design of the Frontier series of banknotes to replace the Birds of Canada and Scenes of Canada series that preceded it.[2] The $100 banknote of the series was released in November 2011, and by the end of that year counterfeit copies were found in circulation in British Columbia.[3] In May 2013, counterfeit copies described as "very well done" but missing three security features were found in circulation in British Columbia.[4]

By 2016, counterfeit copies of banknotes from the Birds of Canada and Scenes of Canada series were still made, with a counterfeiting ring in Quebec operating four production laboratories discovered by the RCMP.[5] A subsequent investigation found that 9,689 counterfeit banknotes with a face value of almost $1 million had been passed into circulation by this group, and 4,198 counterfeit banknotes with a face value of $419,000 had been seized.[5]

Law enforcement

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Part XII of the Criminal Code specifies offences related to the production, printing, publication, possession, distribution, use, or circulation of counterfeit currency, or owning, repairing, or using machines or other tools used for the production of counterfeit currency.[6] The RCMP operates the National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau (NACB) as part of the National Forensic Laboratory Services[7] to coordinate policing regarding counterfeit currency, and is the central repository for seized counterfeit money.[8] NACB also has the responsibility for destroying all counterfeit currency once it has been analyzed and is no longer needed for court proceedings.[8]

Suspicious banknotes and coins of Canadian and foreign currencies are inspected by forensic examiners at the NACB.[9][10] Three Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Teams, one each in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, conduct investigations regarding counterfeit currency.[11] These teams conduct enforcement operations on organized counterfeiting, and investigate individuals and criminal organizations that produce and distribute counterfeit currency. This includes surveillance and undercover operations.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ Robertson 2011.
  2. ^ CTV News 2011.
  3. ^ Luba 2013.
  4. ^ CTV News 2013.
  5. ^ a b Roy 2018.
  6. ^ Bank of Canada 2012, p. 3.
  7. ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police 2019.
  8. ^ a b Bank of Canada 2012, p. 5.
  9. ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police 2014.
  10. ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police 2004.
  11. ^ a b Royal Canadian Mounted Police 2007.

References

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  • Crawford, Alison (13 January 2016). "Counterfeiters perplexed by Canada's plastic money". CBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  • Luba, Frank (16 May 2013). "B.C. police find counterfeit versions of new polymer $100 bills". PostMedia News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019.
  • Robertson, Grant (3 December 2011). "Funny money: How counterfeiting led to a major overhaul of Canada's money". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  • Roy, Marco (2 January 2018). "Combatting counterfeit currency". Gazette. Vol. 80, no. 1. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  • "Wise up to counterfeiting: A guide for police officers" (PDF). Bank of Canada. April 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  • "Currency counterfeiting statistics". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  • "New era of plastic money to start with $100 bills". CTV News. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  • "Police warning Canadians about imitation $100 polymer bills". CTV News. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  • "National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 1 December 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  • "Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Teams". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  • "National Forensic Laboratory Services". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2023.

Further reading

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