Three face charges over fake $100 bills

Three males are facing counterfeit money charges after Windsor police investigated complaints last week about attempts to use fake US$100 bills in transactions.

The incidents happened on July 19.

Patrol officers responded to a call from a business in the 2200 block of Huron Church Road about a possible fraud.

Staff at the business showed the officers a counterfeit bill that had just been used there.

Police obtained a description of the man who passed off the bill, as well as the licence plate number of the vehicle he left in.

The officers confirmed that the bill was counterfeit, and determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Toronto.

They also found that a man with the same description had unsuccessfully tried to pass off the bill at a different business nearby.

The officers then received word that a suspect US$100 bill had just been encountered at a business in the 2100 block of Wyandotte Street West.

While looking into this second complaint, police noticed a man matching the suspect description walking south on Randolph Street, away from Wyandotte Street West, accompanied by another male.

The two men got into a vehicle matching the description of the stolen automobile.

Windsor police converged at the location and arrested all five of the vehicle’s occupants.

Two of the occupants were later released without charges.

Three others will be before the court. They are:

Ibrahim Sahal, 22, of Windsor, charged with possession of counterfeit money;

Ibrahim Ismail, 22, of Toronto, charged with possession of counterfeit money, and uttering counterfeit money;

And, Mahde Hure, 23, of Toronto, charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of counterfeit money, and uttering counterfeit money.

The financial crimes unit reminds all businesses to make every effort to determine the legitimacy of cash used in transactions — especially currency in high dollar amounts.

Anyone with more information about counterfeit money being used in Windsor is encouraged to call investigators at 519-255-6700 ext. 4332.

Anonymous tips can be made via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or catchcrooks.com.