Police from the second arrondissement in Kandi conducted a search at a residence in the Albarika neighborhood on 3 November 2026. Officers executed the operation as part of an investigation into a counterfeit currency operation. Following the search of the premises, the owner of the residence was arrested. Authorities have placed the individual in police custody pending further proceedings.
Investigation Into Counterfeit Ring
Officers launched the operation following an initial discovery of counterfeit banknotes on 31 October 2026. This finding prompted the subsequent search of the Albarika residence that led to the arrest of the property owner. The investigation, which centered on the Albarika neighborhood, sought to identify the source of the fraudulent tender circulating within the area. By focusing their efforts on the specific residence identified during the initial stages of the inquiry, law enforcement officials were able to secure the site on 3 November 2026.
Kandi police recovered a variety of illicit currency during the raid. The inventory of seized items includes 35 banknotes of 10,000 CFA francs, 17 banknotes of 100 US dollars, and two banknotes of 1,000 nairas. The recovery of these specific denominations represents a significant step for the second arrondissement police in their efforts to dismantle the local counterfeit network.
Additional materials recovered from the scene suggest the production of fraudulent tender. Investigators secured paper cut to the size of banknotes, chemical products, and glass pieces shaped like banknotes. Authorities also cataloged eight gold-like pellets and a syringe as part of the evidence collected at the site. These items were documented and removed from the Albarika residence as part of the formal evidence collection process.
The presence of the paper cut to the size of banknotes, alongside the chemical products and the glass pieces shaped like banknotes, indicates a sophisticated effort to replicate official currency. The inclusion of the eight gold-like pellets and the syringe in the inventory of seized goods suggests that the operations at the residence were multifaceted.
The individual identified as the owner of the residence remains in police custody. Following the arrest on 3 November 2026, the suspect was processed by the second arrondissement police. The investigation into the counterfeit ring continues as authorities examine the recovered evidence. Officials are currently analyzing the chemical products found at the scene to determine their role in the production process. The discovery of these specific items, combined with the counterfeit banknotes, forms the basis of the current case being prepared by the Kandi police. The second arrondissement continues to manage the custody of the suspect while the forensic assessment of the seized materials proceeds. All items, including the banknotes and the production equipment, remain under the control of the authorities as the investigation advances.
