Holiday Ayo - An Indonesian citizen (WNI) named Tuma Thierry Henry (50) was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia for carrying counterfeit cash amounting to US$ 28,500 or around IDR 447 .45 million (exchange rate IDR 15,700).

Reporting from the official CBP website, Thursday (31/10), Tuma was caught carrying fake money called 'black money' or 'black dollars', where the fake money has the same weight and texture as US dollars, but is actually just paper black, blue, or white.

Shortly after Henry's arrest, he was immediately handed over to Washington Airports Metropolitan Police officers for further investigation and action.

"Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police officers charged Tuma Thierry Henry (50) from Indonesia on charges of forgery which is a criminal offense," explained CBP in its official statement.

Henry was recorded as having arrived at Dulles airport on Wednesday (30/10) evening local time by plane from Lome, Togo.

During baggage inspection, CBP officers discovered two empty black paper bundles and one empty white paper bundle each wrapped in ribbon labeled 'one hundred'.

Based on the assumption of the number of sheets of paper Henry was carrying and the label 'one hundred', CBP estimated the total value of the counterfeit money at US$ 28,500 or IDR 447.45 million.

This assumption was further proven when the fake money was examined under ultraviolet light.

"Officers counted a total of 285 pieces of paper in the three bundles. The size of the paper was very similar to US banknotes," CBP wrote.

"CBP officers examined the banknotes under ultraviolet light and saw a good similarity between the front and back images of the US$100 banknote," they added.

This case of fake 'black dollar' money fraud is not new in Uncle Sam's country. In practice, the perpetrator will convince the victim that the money is real US dollars that have been colored with chemicals to avoid detection.

The perpetrator then seduces the victim into buying the black dollars at a discount and claims that the color on the paper can be removed/washed off with a certain chemical liquid to reveal the real money behind it.

Even so, Henry is still considered innocent until a court decision proves otherwise.