Zambia seizes fake $1.6 million

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) seized 1.6 million counterfeit US dollar currency notes in the capital Lusaka on Friday.

The commission arrested five locals suspected of being members of a criminal syndicate linked to $1,639,800 counterfeit notes.

In a statement, the commission's spokesman Allan Tamba said their alleged Zimbabwean accomplice, Garry Williams, was still at large and that efforts were underway to locate and apprehend him.

Not the first

“During the operation, DEC also seized a Toyota IST motor vehicle with registration number BLA 5957, which was used to facilitate the movement of the counterfeit currency,” Tamba said.

This is the latest arrest discovery of alleged illicit financial dealings involving huge amount of dollars in Zambia.

In August last year, the authorities announced the seizure of a private plane carrying $5.6 million in cash, 602 pieces of gold weighing 127.2 kilograms and and five pistols with 126 rounds of ammunition.