A man will appear in the Christchurch District Court tomorrow [Friday 28 February] on charges relating to the use of forged banknotes.
The 30-year Christchurch man has been charged with possessing forged banknotes, obtaining by deception and two charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage. He also faces charges for unlawful possession of a firearm and explosives.
Police issued an alert to retailers in August last year after reports of counterfeit $20 notes being presented at retail stores in the Riccarton area.
At the time investigators said that although the notes were not high quality copies, they may look and feel genuine, and in a busy store they may go undetected - particularly if combined with other notes.
Detective Mark Kolmer of the Christchurch fraud squad says a total of eight counterfeit $20 notes had been recovered from three retail stores, The Warehouse and Countdown in Riccarton, and Pak 'n Save in Westfield Mall.
The alleged offender was initially confronted by staff at one of the stores, who detected the counterfeit notes, and was spoken to by police at that time. He was charged earlier this month after police completed inquiries into this and other unrelated offending.
The charges of possessing forged banknotes are punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment.
ENDS