OREANDA-NEWS. Over the last three months, 16,536 counterfeit banknotes have been detected in the Russian banking system, which is by 1,622 banknotes less than in 2015 Q3 (18,158), being the lowest number for the last year.

Traditionally, the 5,000-ruble banknotes take the lead with 11,188 counterfeit banknotes seized in Q4 alone (against 12,939 in Q3). The number of the 1,000-ruble counterfeit banknotes is 2-plus times less (4,361). Forged 10-ruble banknotes and coins are the last in the row with 1 and 3 pieces respectively detected in 2015 Q4 against 7 pieces in Q3. As for 5-ruble coins, 267 counterfeit coins were seized in Q4 and 142 in 2015.

The Central Federal District traditionally turned out to be the most popular place to utter the counterfeit money (and respectively detect it). In 2015 Q4, the Bank of Russia Main Branch for the Central Federal District detected 8,655 counterfeit banknotes. Northwest Russia is still running up with 2,893 cases of detected counterfeit banknotes.

Last December witnessed the growth of detected counterfeit foreign banknotes (468). Overall, in 2015 Q4, 939 banknotes were detected as forged, while the average number of detected counterfeit foreign banknotes on a quarterly basis did not exceed 800. The US Dollar is the champion with 788 forged banknotes in Q4, and 2,932 annually overall.

At the average, counterfeit Euro showed lower popularity with 41-46 banknotes detected as counterfeit on a quarterly basis, however, the last three months of 2015 saw a sharp increase in detected counterfeit Euros - 136. Traditionally, there are some occasional detections of the Chinese Yuan. Also, in 2015, some cases with counterfeit British Pound Sterling, Swedish Krona, Japanese Yen and Kazakhstani Tenge were reported.

Overall, in 2015, almost 72,000 Bank of Russia counterfeit notes were successfully detected. They are taken out of the payment cycle and go to the Internal Affairs authorities.