Couple arrested in Hong Kong guest house for allegedly making fake banknotes

A middle-aged couple have been arrested in a Hong Kong guest house for allegedly producing counterfeit banknotes.

Police said on Wednesday that they had arrested the pair – an American man and a Filipino woman – after a tip-off and an investigation led authorities to a suspected criminal syndicate involved in manufacturing fake Hong Kong banknotes.

Officers raided a room in the guest house on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai at about 1pm on Tuesday and apprehended the man, 54, and the woman, 50, who were believed to be the ringleaders, police said.

A police source said the couple were non-refoulement claimants who had been issued with a recognisance form, commonly known as a “going-out pass”, allowing them to temporarily stay in Hong Kong but not to work.

Some illegal immigrants make non-refoulement claims after arriving in Hong Kong and are allowed to remain in the city until relevant authorities vet their applications for resettlement in a third country.