HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
WEST HAWAII CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
DETECTIVE NANCY HAITSUKA
PHONE: 326-4227
APRIL 23, 2004
H-88434/SK

MEDIA RELEASE

Big Island police arrested and charged a 27-year-old man Friday (April 23, 2004) on a variety of charges for allegedly passing counterfeit currency.

The suspect was identified as Weslie Malani, of a Waimea address.

Kona Criminal Investigation Section detectives charged Malani with two counts of first-degree forgery, one count of fourth-degree theft and one count of attempted fourth-degree theft.

Malani was arrested for trying to pass five counterfeit $20 bills and one $10 bill at a South Kohala business establishment about 11:25 a.m. on Thursday. He is being held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $4,100 bail.

West Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives obtained a search warrant and recovered another nine counterfeit $10 bills from the suspect.

An investigation determined that Malani was also allegedly responsible for a forgery and theft on April 6, 2004, using counterfeit money at a South Kohala business establishment.

U.S. Secret Service agents assisted the CIS detectives during their investigation.

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