VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) -
The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office has shut down an elite counterfeit money operation in Valdosta. Along with the Secret Service, investigators have arrested three people involved in manufacturing the fake money.
A copy machine, printer, paper trimmers, and even marijuana were all seized from the Valdosta home Wednesday night after a tipster notified the Sheriff's Office of a counterfeit money operation.
"It's frightening to know that something like that is happening right here in this neighborhood when I thought that it was all quiet like, you just never ever know," said neighbor Louise Harden.
Investigators arrested Jonathon Moody Wednesday night, and today officers arrested residents Allison Cockman and Elissa Moody. Harden says she started to become suspicious of her neighbors with the daily foot traffic.
"That especially brought attention to me as to why there were people in and out like that," said Harden.
On top of all the printing equipment seized, investigators also found $2,000 that had already been printed.
The Sheriff's Office says recently they've collected hundreds of dollars worth of counterfeit money in the Lowndes County area.
"In recent weeks we have seen an influx of counterfeit money appearing at various stores, and one of the things were trying to do now is link back some of the counterfeit money that we've recovered previously to this particular printing operation," said Lt. Stryde Jones with LCSO.
Jones says it's the local businesses that are effected most.
"Anytime you have someone printing counterfeit money and inputting it into the financial system it hurts because people suffer loss each time they get a counterfeit bill they're losing their money ultimately," said Jones.
Jonathon Moody and Cockman are charged with four counts of forgery, all three are charged with possession of the tools for the commission of a crime, and Elissa Moody is also charged with marijuana possession.
All three are booked in the Lowndes County jail.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. 
