De Soto Police uncovered an alleged counterfeiting operation last month and turned over the investigation to a federal agency.
The investigation began Jan. 19 when De Soto Police were called to the Ace Hardware store at 210 N. Main Street in De Soto, after a 29-year-old De Soto man allegedly passed a counterfeit note at the store, Chief Joe Edwards reported.
“From there, we began monitoring this resident’s activities,” Edwards said. “Through additional investigative tools, we ultimately gathered enough evidence to obtain a search warrant through the 23rd Judicial Circuit (Court).
“The search warrant was a result of an in-depth investigation into a De Soto resident for forging U.S. currency and passing the notes at businesses within the city limits of De Soto.”
On February 10, De Soto Police officers searched the De Soto home where the man lived and found various types of evidence in the home, including printers, altered currency, specialty papers and ink products, Edwards said.
In addition, officers found items commonly used to make methamphetamine, which they turned over to the Jefferson County Drug Task Force, he said.
“This investigation was a multi-leveled investigation including several officers of the De Soto department,” Edwards said. “A federal agency has now assumed control of the investigation and federal charges are anticipated.”
He asks anyone in De Soto who believes someone tried to pass a counterfeit bill to contact De Soto Police at 636-586-8891.