Gig Harbor police stop counterfeiting scheme

A counterfeit scheme was broken up by Gig Harbor police in a successful arrest on Monday night, according to a Gig Harbor Police press release.

Around 7:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to a local hotel in town after a call was made about a disturbance in one of the hotel rooms, the release stated. When officers arrived they heard what they thought was a physical fight and damage in the room.

Officers made contact with the room’s occupants, two men and two women. One man was hiding in the bathroom and when police discovered him, an officer noticed what they believed was a counterfeit $100 bill being flushed down the toilet. The officer was able to retrieve the bill.

After providing false names, the two males were subsequently identified as having outstanding felony warrants and were taken into custody, according to the press release. One of these males was later tied to a home invasion robbery that occurred in University Place last month. Both males were booked into jail.

The two women were released at the scene, but officers found a sealed plastic container at the scene. After being confronted about the container, the females claimed no ownership of it, but knew that it contained more counterfeit bills and drug paraphernalia, the press release stated. A search warrant also later revealed that it also contained many stolen checks from the University Place area.

The hotel later called back to report that the women had not left the property and asked GHPD officers to remove them. The women were in a parked car within the parking lot and a third woman was now with them. The vehicle in which they were sitting was stolen and the license plates were stolen from yet another vehicle. All three women were taken into custody.

When interviewed, the women indicated that there were more counterfeit bills and some printers in the trunk of the car, the press release stated. The vehicle was impounded for a search warrant and officers recovered three printers, some fake printed driver’s licenses and some identity theft victim information along with approximately two grams of white heroin and two grams of black tar heroin, the press release stated.

A boyfriend of one of the female suspects was also located within the hotel hallways and was arrested on outstanding felony warrants.

One of the women was released at the scene and was able to return to the hotel. The following morning, the hotel requested that she be removed. When she answered the door, officers could see heroin in plain view within the room. She also was booked into jail.

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Gig Harbor police stop counterfeiting scheme."