Counterfeit Operation Busted
In a small apartment in downtown San José, a 42 year old man, identified only by his last name, Pérez, has a counterfeiting operation going until police busted in on him yesterday.

An joint operation by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) and the Policía Municipal (San José police), raided the man's apartment and discovered equipment to falsify ¢2.000, ¢5.000 and ¢10.000 notes.

Police say that the man used a colour laser printer with special ink to produce the counterfeit bills, along with graphic art materials, paper and cutters.

Found in the man's apartment was ¢800.000 worth of phony bills, which police theorize were being passed in smaller rural communities, like San Ramón, Atenas and Zarcero. Several "front" men, were used to pass the phony bills to make purchases.

The OIJ said it had been on the trail of Pérez since last March when they detained two men in Atenas with some ¢300.000 in false bills. A week later OIJ agents arrested a man in Zarcero with ¢130.000 in counterfeit notes, which led police to Pérez and his whereabouts.

Police added that the men detained in Zarcero and Atenas told them that they had purchased the bills in San José, saying that they would by a ¢10.000 bill for only ¢2.000.