OCPD Advising Business Owners of Counterfeit Currency Case

OCEAN CITY, MD – : The Ocean City Police Department is currently investigating a counterfeit currency case involving bills marked for cinematic use, or prop currency. On Saturday, June 4, 2016, Ocean City police arrested two suspects who had attempted to pass two counterfeit $100 bills at a local business. Both counterfeit bills had the same serial number, PR 10008679 P, and were marked with the phrase, “For Motion Picture Use Only.”

Earlier in the evening on the same date, there was an additional unrelated case involving a drug distribution suspect, who was in possession of six counterfeit $100 bills. The serial number for all six counterfeit bills was CP 01105192 L. These counterfeit bills also had the same “For Motion Picture Use Only” marking as the two counterfeit bills mentioned above. Since it is only illegal to attempt to pass prop currency such as this, not possess it, this individual was not charged in regards to the bills.

Ocean City police are encouraging business owners and employees to closely examine currency by looking carefully at the money being exchanged and being aware of the counterfeit indicators built in to the bill. Prop currency sharing the same denomination and serial numbers have been passed in at least three other cases on the Maryland Eastern Shore and there have been multiple cases throughout the United States.

Any business owner that may have a similar case or further information regarding the passing of these counterfeit $100 bills, please contact Detective Carl Perry at crperry@oceancitymd.gov.