Print by day, spend by night: Couple arrested for counterfeiting cash at home

Police in east China's Jiangxi Province have arrested a couple for producing and spending counterfeit currency across rural markets, after a surge of public reports led to a months-long investigation.

The suspects, identified as He and his wife Xu, allegedly printed counterfeit bills at home and spent them immediately at farmers' markets – a practice police described as "spend whatever they print" to avoid stockpiling too much fake currency, according to Xinhuanet.

"They targeted market days in different counties, using fake notes in small transactions and disappearing before authorities could catch on," said Chen Hao, a police officer in Fuzhou City.

Officers began investigating in September 2023 after receiving multiple reports from market vendors who had unknowingly accepted counterfeit notes.

"In just one week, we received five cases – whereas previously we might see one or two in an entire month," Liu Tao, a police officer told state media.

Security footage eventually captured one suspect slipping a fake bill to an elderly vendor.

Police later raided the couple's home, seizing printing equipment, ink, cutting tools, and more than 200,000 yuan (US$27,600) in counterfeit currency.

Authorities said no evidence has been found that the counterfeit bills spread beyond Jiangxi, and the investigation remains ongoing.