BADUNG, Bali — Bali police have arrested a 53-year-old man after allegedly finding 1,305 counterfeit Rp100,000 notes in his possession, with the fake cash having a nominal value of Rp130.5 million.

The suspect, identified by police as PN, was arrested after allegedly using a counterfeit Rp100,000 note to pay for goods at Mengwi Market in Badung on Aug. 26.

Police said PN, a private-sector employee who lives in Beraban, Tabanan, had obtained the counterfeit notes through a transaction on Facebook. Investigators are still looking into the social media account allegedly used to sell the fake money.

According to police, PN paid Rp10 million in genuine currency to obtain 1,000 counterfeit Rp100,000 notes, a transaction equivalent to a 1:10 ratio.

Further investigation and a search led police to seize a total of 1,305 counterfeit notes, along with Rp9.98 million in genuine cash believed to have come from change received during transactions and a Samsung mobile phone.

Police said at least six traders at Mengwi Market were affected by the alleged circulation of the counterfeit money, with combined losses estimated at Rp600,000.

The case came to light after PN allegedly used a counterfeit Rp100,000 note to buy a packet of cooking paper worth Rp35,000 from a trader identified as Dedi. Dedi became suspicious after hearing about a disturbance elsewhere in the market involving an alleged counterfeit-money transaction.

The note was later found to be counterfeit, and PN was detained by local residents before being handed over to officers from the Mengwi Police Criminal Investigation Unit at around 5:30 a.m.

Police said PN admitted to possessing and spending counterfeit Rp100,000 notes despite knowing they were fake. The alleged activity took place between July 1 and July 26, according to investigators.

PN, whom police identified as a recidivist with a previous criminal case outside Bali, has been charged under Article 375(1) and (2) of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, Law No. 1 of 2023. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted.

Police have urged traders and business owners across Bali to be more vigilant when accepting large-denomination cash payments. They advised the public to use Indonesia’s standard 3D method — looking, touching and holding notes up to the light — to check banknotes before completing transactions.