Biya regime cracks down on counterfeit money networks ⁰

Cameroon’s security forces have intensified efforts against counterfeit currency networks after separate operations in Douala and Yaoundé uncovered large quantities of fake money and equipment used to produce it. In Douala, the National Gendarmerie dismantled an alleged network specializing in the production and distribution of counterfeit coins. Acting on what authorities described as reliable intelligence, officers raided a workshop hidden inside a commercial store that served as a front for the operation.

According to reports from state broadcaster CRTV and several local media outlets, the suspects were involved in manufacturing fake CFA500 and CFA100 coins. Equipment used in the production process was discovered at the site, providing evidence of an organized counterfeiting operation. The case highlights a lesser-known form of financial crime that often receives less attention than counterfeit banknotes: the production of fake coins.

Investigators are now working to determine the size of the network, its distribution channels, and whether accomplices helped circulate the counterfeit currency through markets and informal trading networks. In a separate operation, officers from the Ahala Gendarmerie post in Yaoundé arrested a 21-year-old suspect on May 21 in connection with an alleged counterfeit currency trafficking scheme.

The suspect was apprehended in the Carrefour Banane area of Yaoundé II while carrying a large quantity of counterfeit banknotes that had been carefully packaged. According to the National Gendarmerie, the fake currency seized in the operation had an estimated face value of nearly CFA100 million. Authorities said the counterfeit notes included foreign currencies, notably U.S. dollars and Swiss francs, based on preliminary findings.

The suspect and the seized materials were transferred to a gendarmerie unit, where an investigation has been opened to identify possible accomplices and determine the full extent of the network.

The arrests come as security agencies maintain heightened vigilance over counterfeit currency circulation in Cameroon. Several major seizures have been reported in recent months, including operations in Douala and Maroua in the Far North Region.

According to security officials, some of the counterfeit banknotes recovered during these operations appear to imitate the Bank of Central African States’ “Type 2020” banknote series, which was introduced across the CEMAC region in December 2022. The discovery underscores the ability of counterfeiters to adapt despite enhanced security features incorporated into the new currency series.

Authorities say the growing number of cases points to increasingly organized criminal networks that combine local production, distribution channels, and potentially cross-border operations. Informal markets, small businesses, currency exchange activities, and cash-based transactions remain particularly vulnerable.

For security agencies, the challenge is twofold: dismantling production and distribution networks while also raising public awareness about counterfeit currency. In a country where cash remains the dominant payment method, officials warn that fake coins and banknotes pose a direct threat to merchants, households, and confidence in everyday commercial transactions.

Source: Sbbc