A Winder Police Department special investigation into counterfeit money led to the Tuesday arrest of a Statham man, police said Thursday.
The department began the investigation after getting numerous reports of people passing counterfeit money in local businesses over the past several months.
"Police officers have responded to as many as three counterfeit cases per day," Winder Police Lt. Chris Cooper wrote in a media release.
The investigation led officers to Michael James Crowe, 33. During a traffic stop on Argonne Road, police found counterfeit money on Crowe's person, according to Cooper.
With the assistance of the Statham Police Department, authorities executed a search warrant at Crowe's residence.
"During the course of the search warrant, detectives located 17 mobile devices, six digital memory cards, two computers, three ink jet printers/scanners, drug related objects, other materials used to generate counterfeit money and additional counterfeit currency," Cooper said. "In all, a total of approximately $1,800.00 of counterfeit bills was seized."
Crowe is charged with two counts of forgery in the second degree, possession of tools used in the commission of a crime and possession of drug related objects.
Winder Police and the U.S. Secret Service are continuing the investigation.
