Earlier today, the Bank of Canada presented the C Division (Québec) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team (ICET) with the 2017 Law Enforcement Award of Excellence for Counterfeit Deterrence.
The award, which has been presented annually since 2004, recognizes the outstanding achievements of criminal justice professionals and educators involved in the prevention and deterrence of bank note counterfeiting in Canada. It was accepted by RCMP Sergeant Marco Roy and Corporal Vincent Roy on behalf of the ICET at the 112th annual conference of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in Montréal, Qué.
“Through their determination, commitment and sound investigative techniques, members of the RCMP’s Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Team protected our currency, ensuring that Canadians can continue to use bank notes with confidence,” said Richard Wall, managing director of the bank’s currency department, who applauded the RCMP team for their role in shutting down a counterfeit banknote operation.
FAKE $100 BILLS
The C Division worked tirelessly for two years to dismantle a ring of counterfeiters who were producing and passing fake $100 banknotes through the Montréal and Montérégie areas of Québec.
Dubbed “Projet COUPON,” their investigation fostered close collaboration between the RCMP’s ICET investigators and other Quebec police forces. Their diligent teamwork led to three arrests, the dismantling of four counterfeiting labs and the seizure of almost 4,200 counterfeit notes valued in excess of $400,000. Overall, it’s estimated the counterfeiting ring introduced more than 9,600 fake banknotes into circulation, defrauding businesses and individuals of almost $1 million.