ON January 18, a young male walked into a bakery at a mall in the 32500-block of Lougheed Highway in Mission and used a $100 bill to pay for a loaf of bread. Around the same time, another young male entered a grocery store in the same mall, and bought gift cards using two $100 bills.

Staff at both businesses later realized that the bills were fake. Although they felt real to the touch, the words “Prop Money” were printed in the transparent window area of the bills, and they were missing the raised tactile features which are unique to genuine Canadian currency notes.

As a result of viewing CCTV footage from both stores, police were able to quickly recognize both of the offenders. They were identified as two 18-year-olds from the Mission area – both of whom are known to police.

Search warrants were subsequently obtained for both of their residences.  One residence yielded no evidence, however, in the other residence – where one of the 18-year-olds was living with his parents – Mission RCMP’s Crime Reduction Unit located two handguns, drugs in packaging consistent with drug trafficking, and over $10,000 in genuine Canadian currency.

Not only were both of the guns loaded, but one was also equipped with a silencer.  Forensic testing will be done in order to determine whether either of the firearms are linked to any known offences.  Charges are being recommended against both males, whom are associated to each other.

Mission RCMP reminds anyone taking cash as payment to verify the bills are authentic, especially when accepting larger denominations.  If you determine after the fact that you accepted a counterfeit bill, retain the bill and notify police immediately.  Anyone with more information about these incidents is asked to call Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161, file #25-742.