Erbil Police arrest 25 members of 7 gangs for counterfeit 'Libyan dollars'

Mustafa Shilani 2021/08/25 19:00

Erbil Police Spokesperson Hogir Aziz gives a press conference in the Kurdistan Region's capital, Aug. 25, 2021. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan Erbil Security Kurdistan Crime Currency Fraud

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Local security officials in the capital province of the autonomous Kurdistan Region announced the arrest of 25 suspects for being part of gangs that have been defrauding people using counterfeit US currency being referred to as “Libyan dollars.”

Erbil Police Spokesperson Hogir Aziz said in a press conference that members of seven different gangs accused of committing 35 separate crimes had been taken into custody.

Local illicit market traders have been known to sell counterfeit dollar bills at discount prices by claiming the notes had been taken from frozen funds belonging to the regime of former Libyan President Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi.

"It is just baseless lies," said Aziz as he warned the general public not to be deceived by such claims.

Libyan Ambassador to Iraq Naji Ahmed Shalgam has previously stated, "Many people talk about the frozen dollar, and it is always followed by the name of a country. I do not care about what is attributed and under which name, but it is my duty to stop what is falsely called the Libyan dollar.”

"Libya's money is in an impenetrable fortress and far from tampering," he continued. "Since the declaration of independence until today, the Central Bank of Libya has preserved state funds from various cash reserves that are accepted and safe from looting, theft, or seizure."

“I warn the beloved people of Iraq, not to run after this nonsense and what social media platforms are circulating in this regard."

Aziz, the police spokesperson, took the occasion to also announce crime statistics for the past six months, detailing that 7,981 known crimes had been committed in Erbil during that period, including the arrest of 2,755 suspects and reporting that 7,309 cases had been "resolved" in some way.

In addition, 314 suspects who committed crimes in other provinces of the country and were later apprehended in Erbil before being handed over to the local authorities in provinces where the crimes were committed.

Editing by John J. Catherine