Counterfeit Corner

Halton Regional Police Service, located in the province of Ontario, say they have dismantled an online operation that was selling counterfeit cash across Canada, leading to several arrests and nearly two dozen criminal charges.

According to investigators, the probe – called Project Mirage – began in August 2025 after officers in the Financial Crimes Unit discovered two public Instagram accounts openly promoting the sale of counterfeit Canadian banknotes. The accounts linked to online storefronts that marketed bundles of fake bills as harmless ‘film prop money’. Orders were paid for by credit card and shipped nationwide.

Police later connected the counterfeit notes to multiple fraud cases throughout the Greater Toronto Area, including incidents in Halton. By the time the operation was shut down, officers estimate the group had generated over $60,000 in sales.

Search warrants and seizures

On 31 March, officers executed search warrants at three Toronto homes. The raids uncovered a wide range of items, including: