Friendswood teen allegedly caught trying to pay for marijuana with fake money
FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- Friendswood police say a drug deal led officers to a break they have been waiting for in its counterfeit money case.
For the past several months, police have been looking for the person behind counterfeit bills. The money looks so real, neighbors we showed had a hard time spotting issues.
"If this were a game and you said pick the one that's real, or pick the ones that's not real, I would have a really hard time picking the real one," resident Kay Howard said.
The money hasn't fooled everybody. Last week, officers said on the 2900 block of Autumn Cove Court, a teen tried to buy drugs using counterfeits.
The dealers realized it was fake, and pulled out a gun. A neighbor spotted the fight and called the cops.
Fake money makes it way through Friendswood
When police arrived, officers say they smelled marijuana inside a home. They also found $100 bills that looked exactly like those bills found in previous cases.
In all, they found 12 fake bills, and charged the 16-year-old with felony forgery.
Police said they didn't just find money, but also receipts. Officers believe the fake money was used to buy clothes at the Baybrook Mall.
Detectives are trying to figure out how the teen got the counterfeit cash, but they don't believe she's alone.
Police released an image of a suspect using a fake $100 bill at Dunn Brothers Coffee.
"Even when you held it up to the light, they have those letters on the side. It had those letters," Dunn Brothers Coffee general manager Benette Rowley said. "It had the number."
It's not just 100's. Officers say they've found fake $20 and $50 bills, too.
They're encouraging cashiers and businesses to check bills they receive with a counterfeit pen.
If the ink turns a color, it's most likely a fake bill.
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