Man gets 10-month jail term for using fake money

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-14 14:28

SHANGHAI -- A Chinese farmer was sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined 15,000 yuan (US$2,193) for using counterfeit money Tuesday by a Shanghai court as the country steps up efforts to crack down on counterfeit currency.

The Nanhui District People's Court in Shanghai convicted Mo Qinsong, a 34-year-old farmer from southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, of using 52 counterfeit 100-yuan notes to buy a gold necklace on November 13 in a jewelry shop in the district.

Zhang bought 55 counterfeit 100-yuan notes whose serial number started with "HD90" at a price of 10 yuan per note. He purchased them at the railway station in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province on November 9, the court heard Tuesday.

He was caught when attempting to flee after the jewelry shop staff grew suspicious of the notes and asked him where he got them.

According to Chinese law, in the most serious cases, a person can face more than ten years in prison if convicted of intentionally holding or using counterfeit money.

Fake 100-yuan notes, most starting with serial number "HD90," have been reported in more than ten Chinese provinces and cities. The case aroused public attention as reports said the quality of some fake bank notes are so high that they can even cheat some low-quality counterfeit money detectors.

The Shanghai headquarters of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said Monday it has strengthened cooperation with the public security and industry and commerce bureaus to fight counterfeit crimes.

The headquarters ordered commercial banks to conduct more exchanges with counterfeit detector manufacturers and upgrade their detection systems.