A stash of $30,000 in fake Canadian bills, fresh off a boat from China, was nabbed by border cops in Mississauga, thwarting a scheme to flood Nova Scotia with counterfeit cash and bogus security strips. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) swooped in on January 27 at the city’s international cargo hub, uncovering a haul of forged $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes destined for Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, authorities revealed Wednesday.
The plot thickened earlier that month when CBSA officers at Quebec’s Mirabel International Airport intercepted a separate package from China, this one stuffed with counterfeit holographic stickers—knockoffs of the shiny strips on legit Canadian bills. Both shipments, it turns out, were headed to the same Glace Bay address, raising red flags.
After the Mississauga bust, the CBSA tipped off Nova Scotia RCMP, who raided a home in Glace Bay on February 11. The haul there was a jackpot of fraud: $70,000 more in fake cash, extra holographic stickers, a rifle, electronics, and other suspicious gear. The RCMP’s commercial crime section is now leading the charge, with the National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau in tow, as the investigation digs deeper.
“Fake money’s out there, coast to coast,” warned RCMP Cpl. Mitch Thompson. “These polymer phonies can fool you if you’re not checking the security features. Using or holding counterfeit is a crime—and if you accidentally take it as real, tough luck, you’re stuck with the loss.” Thompson urged Canadians to eyeball their bills closely: “Know the real deal, and you’ll spot the fakes fast.”