Man jailed three years for role in producing counterfeit notes

SINGAPORE - While on the run, a drug abuser joined two other men to produce counterfeit notes.

Muhammad Haikal Shah Md Ayuni, 24, was jailed for three years on Friday (June 14) after pleading guilty to performing part of the counterfeiting process.

He also admitted to failing to report back to the Lloyd Leas Community Supervision Centre while on a work release scheme following an earlier conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ang Siok Chen told the court that Haikal was sentenced to three years' jail on April 6, 2016, for drug consumption.

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On May 22, 2017, he was placed on the work release scheme and stayed at the community supervision centre in Cosford Road off Upper Changi Road North.

The DPP said: "Under the scheme, he was allowed to go to work every day and was required to report back to Lloyd Leas after his work.

"On Aug 14, 2017 at 8.30pm, the accused did not report back to Lloyd Leas after his work. He claimed that he did not want to report back to Lloyd Leas as he wanted to spend time with his pregnant girlfriend," the DPP added.

In September last year, a man identified as Muhammad Farhan Farus, 25, contacted Haikal and asked to meet him in a rented apartment at the Lumiere condominium in Mistri Road near Shenton Way.

Haikal went to the unit to meet Farhan and Muhammad Nabil Saini, 31. The men then engaged in a conspiracy to produce counterfeit currency notes, the court heard.

DPP Ang told District Judge Edgar Foo: "The accused and Farhan purchased an assortment of papers used as the medium for the printing of counterfeit currency notes. The counterfeit currency notes were printed at the unit.

"After the notes were printed... the accused was then tasked with cutting printouts of the currency notes to the correct size."

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Farhan later used the fake notes to buy items on online marketplace Carousell and pay sex workers, said the DPP.

Court documents did not reveal any details about the counterfeit notes and how the offences came to light.

However, the court heard that officers from the Commercial Affairs Department finally arrested Haikal on Sept 13 last year.

Nabil had earlier been sentenced to three years' jail while Farhan's case is still pending.

For engaging in a conspiracy to produce counterfeit notes, Haikal could have been jailed for up to 20 years and fined.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.