Beijing fish market owner tried over counterfeit cash
Woman claims she mistakenly gave more than 6,000 yuan in fake notes to a bank
A woman running a wholesale fish business has gone on trial in Beijing for possessing counterfeit money after she tried to deposit more than 6,000 yuan in fake notes at a bank, the Beijing Times reports.
The woman, 54, said she occasionally received one or two counterfeit notes from customers and simply put them away in a drawer at home, along with money she knew was real, the report said.
On March 29, she went to make a deposit at a bank in the Changping district but mistakenly picked up the fake notes. She handed over 6,150 yuan in counterfeit money – 58 100-yuan notes and seven 50-yuan notes.
The fakes were quickly spotted by bank staff, who alerted the police.
She told the court it was a careless mistake. The court has not handed down a verdict. Intentionally keeping or using between 4,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan in counterfeit money carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a fine of between 10,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan, the report said.