By Kantarawaddy Times
In Mese Township of the Karenni state, counterfeit 10,000 Myanmar Kyat banknotes are reportedly being circulated at Border Post No. 14, according to a woman who personally encountered the issue and spoke to the Kandarawaddy Times.
“I exchanged THB 5,000 and received MMK 650,000. After completing the transaction at the exchange shop, I went to a fuel station to buy diesel with the money. However, the fuel station refused to accept the cash. When I asked why, they told me the banknotes were counterfeit. I immediately returned to the exchange shop, and the owner replaced the fake notes,” the woman recounted. The incident took place on April 4.
She added that she was not the only victim and that others have also experienced similar issues.
“There are other victims too. Someone exchanged money via KPay and ended up with fake notes. At BP 14, a young girl reportedly received counterfeit notes totaling MMK 5 million,” she said.
The woman, who experienced the counterfeit money firsthand, stated that she has filed a complaint with the relevant authorities, specifically the Karenni State Police (KSP).
The Kantarawaddy Times attempted to contact KSP to inquire how they are addressing the issue, but was unable to reach them for comment.
Currently, the counterfeit notes in circulation are 10,000 Kyat banknotes. Authorities and vendors are using verification tools to distinguish between real and fake currency, inspecting both the paper texture and embedded security features.
Genuine notes reportedly have a rougher texture and more prominent security threads, while counterfeit versions appear smoother and lack proper security elements.
