NBI seizes bogus US treasury notes

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has dealt a major blow to a syndicate engaged in the manufacture of fake United States Federal Treasury notes with the seizure of 33 boxes of the bogus notes from a warehouse in Parañaque City last Friday.

Seized from the warehouse located at 153 Quirino Avenue were 21 boxes containing fake treasury notes in $500 million denominations and 12 boxes in $100 million denominations.

According to the NBI unit headed by Vicente de Guzman, last June 27, the NBI received information that there were several boxes of fake US dollars in $100 and$ 500 denominations were allegedly being kept in the warehouse for the past two months.

The NBI was also able to identify two of the suspects behind the fake dollar ring as a certain W.F. Grubl and a certain Keith P. Leblanc.

Armed with the information, NBI agents secured a search warrant from Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 7 Executive Judge Enrico Lanzanas.

After securing the search warrant, NBI agents were posted around the suspects’ warehouse and waited for the suspects to appear.

But after three days of staking out, the suspects did not show up, prompting the agents to serve the search warrant and open the warehouse.

To their surprise, instead of fake US dollar bills as previously mentioned in their intelligence report, the agents found fake US treasury notes.

Appropriate charges are now being readied against the suspects who are now subject of an intensive manhunt, the NBI said.

The NBI has likewise forwarded a request for authentication with the US Customs Service regarding the seizure.