With Lebaran 2017 less than two weeks away, when Muslims around the country will be returning to their hometowns to celebrate the end of Ramadan, money—real and counterfeit—will really be flowing.
A massive amount of people (local media estimates 1.6 million) will be traveling in and out of Bali’s two major ports, Gilimanuk and Padangbai, in the lead up to Idul Fitri, which starts on June 24.
Given all the people and money moving around during the period, Denpasar Police is advising the public to be vigilant against counterfeit money.
Denpasar Police Chief Commissioner Hadi Purnomo said the circulation of counterfeit money during the fasting month of Ramadan is one of his key concerns.
Although Purnomo says he hasn’t yet found counterfeit money in the field, he does not want the community to overlook the issue, especially since some fake money in Indonesia is so good that it can pass UV light detector tests at mini markets.
“We are still appealing, that you should go directly to the police if you see anything. We also have a Go-Police app that can be used at any time,” Purnomo told Tribun Bali on Tuesday.
The different between money that is ‘KW’ quality—meaning it can pass UV light detection tests—is the thickness, says Purnomo. Therefore, the public should be careful about examining money during the holiday, he added.
Purnomo says in addition to screening for counterfeit money, police will also conduct monitoring, in search of unlicensed money changers, which is a huge concern in Bali.
