Counterfeit banknotes worth $80,000 seized in Ankara, 2 detained

Ankara Provincial Gendarmerie Command (KOM) Branch Directorate units conducted an operation against 'currency counterfeiting' at an address in Diriliş neighborhood. A search of the location yielded counterfeit banknotes valued at $80,050; 2 suspects were taken into custody.

According to information, the operation was planned following technical and field work. The amount of counterfeit dollars, when calculated at the current TL exchange rate, amounts to approximately 2.7 million lira — equivalent to 150 times the monthly rent of a mid-range apartment in Ankara.

In the operation that will be investigated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, how the suspects obtained the counterfeit money has not yet become clear. In past counterfeit-related cases brought before Turkish courts, judges have sentenced defendants to prison terms ranging from 3 to 8 years. The suspects were referred to judicial authorities for questioning.