(Washington, D.C.) – In February of this year, the United States Secret Service, in
partnership with the Peruvian National Police, created a task force based in Lima to
suppress a dramatic rise in counterfeit United States currency emanating from that
country. The Secret Service has seen a dramatic rise in the passing domestically of one
particular series of $100 counterfeit notes believed to have been printed in Peru. This
specific series of counterfeit notes has been passed throughout the United States and
particularly in South Florida, New York, Newark and Los Angeles.
On April 6, 2009, the Peruvian Counterfeit Task Force executed two search warrants on
target locations inside Peru, where it was believed these particular counterfeit U.S.
Federal Reserve Notes were being produced. The search warrants resulted in the arrests
of five suspects and the seizure of $8.4 million in counterfeit $100 dollar notes. Also
seized were eight lithographic printing presses, as well as numerous plates and negatives
used in the manufacture of counterfeit United States currency.
The United States Secret Service was originally founded in 1865 for the purpose of
suppressing the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Over the years it has grown into one of the
premier law enforcement organizations charged with investigating various financial crimes,
including taking a lead role in the developing area of cyber crime. The agency establishes
working partnerships in both the law enforcement and business communities to address such
issues as protection of critical infrastructure, Internet intrusions and associated fraud.