3rd September 2025 – (Hong Kong) Police in the West Kowloon district launched an operation yesterday around 1pm to apprehend a suspected counterfeiting gang following a tip-off and extensive investigation. Officers arrested a 54-year-old American man and a 50-year-old Filipino woman in a hotel unit on Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, believed to be the masterminds of the operation. The couple, who are reportedly in a relationship, were in Hong Kong on recognizance papers.
The arrested individuals are suspected of using a computer, inkjet printer, and metallic-coloured paint to produce counterfeit Hong Kong currency notes, using paper similar in quality to genuine banknotes. During the operation, officers seized 66 counterfeit notes, each with a face value of HK$100, along with the tools and materials used in the production.
Initial investigations suggest that this gang is linked to multiple recent incidents involving the use of counterfeit notes, primarily in transactions for taxi fares, with denominations of HK$100 and HK$500 being most commonly used. The couple is currently being detained for further investigation.
