N.S. RCMP, border agents seize more than $100,000 in counterfeit Canadian cash

More than $100,000 of counterfeit Canadian money has been seized by authorities as part of an investigation that began in Quebec and led authorities to a home in Cape Breton, RCMP say. 

The Canada Border Services Agency notified Nova Scotia RCMP after intercepting packages shipped to Canada from China at Mirabel airport in Quebec and a processing facility in Mississauga, Ont., in January. 

The first package contained counterfeit holographic stickers that resembled the security strips on Canadian cash and the second package had a variety of denominations totalling roughly $30,000 in counterfeit currency, said an RCMP news release Wednesday.  

Police said both packages were destined for an address in Glace Bay, N.S. 

Mounties and Cape Breton Regional Police officers executed a search warrant at a Glace Bay residence on Feb. 11 and recovered about $70,000 in counterfeit money, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mitch Thompson told CBC News.

A number of other items considered "instruments" of counterfeiting, such as electronic devices, were found at the home along with a rifle, Thompson said.

The investigation is ongoing and charges are expected to be laid soon, he said.

RCMP encourage people accepting cash to verify its authenticity by checking the security features on the bills. 

Counterfeit money may not seem like a significant issue to everyone, Thompson said, but it can have negative effects on individuals and businesses because they can't be reimbursed if they unknowingly receive fake bank notes.

"These businesses are not only out the product that they are providing people, but they're also out the income for that product," Thompson said. "So it's kind of like a double whammy for them."