COLOMBIA: COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES DISCOVER SUBTERRANEAN COUNTERFEIT DOLLAR-MAKING FACTORY 400 KM SOUTHWEST OF BOGOTA

Record ID: 588593

  • Title: COLOMBIA: COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES DISCOVER SUBTERRANEAN COUNTERFEIT DOLLAR-MAKING FACTORY 400 KM SOUTHWEST OF BOGOTA
  • Date: 16th November 2000
  • Summary: EL DOVIO, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 16, 2000) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF POLICE AT FACTORY SITE (3 SHOTS) 0.16 2. SV'S: POLICE INSPECTING PRINTING PRESSES 0.24 3. SV OF GENERAL ARELLANO INSPECTING RECENTLY MADE DOLLARS 0.30 4. ZOOM IN: GENERAL ARELLANO IN FRONT OF DOLLARS READY TO BE SENT OUT TO MARKET 0.35 5. FACTORY TUNNEL PAN TO ARMED SECURITY 0.40 6. VARIOUS OF DOLLAR PRINTING PLAQUES (2 SHOTS) 0.48 7. SV GENERAL ARELLANO INSPECTING DRYING DOLLARS 0.54 8. WIDE OF MORE DOLLARS DRYING AND ON TABLE 0.59 9. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) GENERAL ALFONSO LEON ARELLANO, INSPECTOR OF COLOMBIAN POLICE INSPECTOR, SAYING: "Today the national police achieved an unsuspected find. A clandestine dollar-making factory, in a rural sector of the El Dovio municipality in the Cauca Valley. The factory was constructed with sophisticated engineering knowledge, practically a bunker within which lithographic equipment, ink, and all the elements needed for the fabrication of these dollars was found." 1.38 10. CU: PLAQUES FOR PRINTING DOLLARS 1.43 11. VARIOUS OF POLICE PLACING DOLLARS ON TABLE (2 SHOTS) 1.54 12. SV: POLICE LOOKING OVER PRINTING PRESS 2.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 1st December 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: EL DOVIO, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ETC55DXXUYYQUVWFDL0CPNE2
  • Story Text: Colombian authorities have discovered a subterranean
    counterfeit dollar-making factory in a rural area 400
    kilometres Southwest of Bogota.


    Colombian police discovered a subterranean counterfeit
    dollar making factory on Thursday (November 16) in the rural
    municipality of El Dovio. Authorities claim it is the largest
    counterfeit dollar producing factory ever found in Colombia.

    "The factory was constructed with sophisticated
    engineering knowledge, practically a bunker within which
    lithographic equipment, ink, and all the elements needed for
    the fabrication of these dollars was found," said Colombian
    Police Inspector, General Alfonso Leon Arellano.

    Authorities apprehended one person, Gerardo Ardila
    Hernandez, who had been wanted by police and was in charge of
    the counterfeit operation.

    The makeshift facility had the capacity to produce $3
    million a week in different denominations. The bills were
    primarily circulated in Ecuador due to dolarization process
    that country is currently undergoing.

    According to General Arellano the bills where of a very
    high quality and could pass several authenticity tests.

    The operation was a co-ordinated effort by the Colombian
    Attorney General's office and the U.S. Treasury Department.
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