Fingerprint detection on counterfeit US dollar banknotes: the importance of preliminary paper examination

Two seizures of counterfeit 100 US dollar bills related to the same indicative number were submitted for processing of latent fingerprints. On one group of notes, identifiable fingerprints could be detected by the routine application of amino acid reagents. In the second case, this technique gave no results, even on deliberately deposited prints. Fingerprints could be revealed, however, by cyanoacrylate fuming followed by magnetic powder. Comprehensive paper analysis showed that banknotes from both seizures differed remarkably by chemical composition as well as paper macroscopic properties. The difference in surface free energy (related to surface tension) of the banknotes in the two groups seemed to be the major factor responsible for the great variance in fingerprint detectability.     

Conflicts and coordination between the right to issue US dollars as international currency and the protection of international human rights

In the existing global financial system, the US private central bank controls the right to issue international currency, while the rest of the world have to involuntarily leave their destiny to such system. In the current financial crisis, American government evaded and deviated from due regulation. It is virtually a robbery of other countries as well as a serious infringement upon international human rights. In such a situation, other countries should stick to the international community standard and the protection of international human rights to fairly distribute the interest deriving from the right to issue international currency, and establish a monetary exchange mechanism; or abide by the principle of “one world, one currency” and accordingly come up with a common international currency, or form a monetary union to safeguard the economic sovereignties; or enhance the due position, rights and interest of the developing economies in the existing international financial system; or strengthen efforts in reforming and building the regime of international financial regulation to prevent people’s legitimate property, rights and interest from being infringed.     

Characterization and aging study of currency ink and currency canine training aids using headspace SPME/GC-MS

Solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) was used to characterize the volatile components associated with U.S. currency, U.S. currency inks, and Canadian currency. Compounds that can be attributed to the ink-curing process include series of straight-chain aldehydes, alkenals, acids, alcohols, and ketones and a series of lactones and 2-alkyl furans. Solvent compounds include naphthenic and paraffinic hydrocarbons with a profile typical of petroleum products, alkyl cyclohexanes, various ethylene glycol alkyl ethers, and traces of chlorinated solvents. Trace levels of 2-phenoxyethanol, a solvent often used in ink formulations, were also detected. Environmental contaminants, those compounds found in circulating currency but not in currency ink, include 2,2'-diethyl-1,1'-biphenyl, methyl benzoate and salicylate, menthol, limonene, dimethyl and diethyl phthalate, and ionol. Not including simple hydrocarbons, over 100 compounds were identified in the headspace of currency-related samples.     

伪造2005版100元人民币水印特征初探

目的建立伪造2005版100元人民币水印检验方法。方法利用紫外光源、透光光源对伪造人民币上水印进行显现和检验。结果伪造黑水印、伪造白水印在印刷方式、印刷工艺及图文形态等特征上存在不同。结论本方法的建立,可为识别假币制作地点提供线索。     

机制版假币票面上印刷疵点的检验

目的分析假币票样上的印刷疵点,为串并假币机制版印制点提供科学依据。方法通过图文扫描和图象处理技术,获取假币票面上的印刷疵点信息,研究梳理不同票面上一致的疵点组合,寻找其与印版的相关性,继而推导与印制者的相关性。结果找到可以表征相同胶片版或PS版的不同冠字号码假币票样上一致的印刷疵点。结论可以通过图文扫描和图象处理手段得到印刷疵点特征。     

Data attack of the cybercriminal: Investigating the digital currency of cybercrime

It is increasingly argued that the primary motive of the cybercriminal and the major reason for the continued growth in cyber attacks is financial gain. In addition to the direct financial impact of cybercrime, it can also be argued that the digital data and the information it represents that can be communicated through the Internet, can have additional intrinsic value to the cybercriminal. In response to the perceived value and subsequent demand for illicit data, a sophisticated and self-sufficient underground digital economy has emerged. The aim of this paper is to extend the author’s earlier research that first introduced the concept of the Cybercrime Execution Stack by examining in detail the underlying data objectives of the cybercriminal. Both technical and non-technical law enforcement investigators need the ability to contextualise and structure the illicit activities of the cybercriminal, in order to communicate this understanding amongst the wider law enforcement community. By identifying the potential value of electronic data to the cybercriminal, and discussing this data in the context of data collection, data supply and distribution, and data use, demonstrates the relevance and advantages of utilising an objective data perspective when investigating cybercrime.     

发光光谱成像检验人民币真伪研究

目的建立鉴别人民币真伪和假币来源同一的检验方法。方法运用发光光谱成像技术对1999版和2005版真币人民币各50张、1999版和2005版假币各12张进行检验。结果真假人民币之间和不同来源的假币之间均能较好的区分开,区分效果明显。结论发光光谱成像技术可以有效鉴别真假人民币和假币来源是否同一。     

妨害货币管理犯罪若干问题研究

一、妨害货币管理犯罪的对象 货币犯罪侵犯的对象，毋庸置疑是货币。但是货币的外延有多大，除了本国货币外是否包括外国货币；除了公认的纸币和硬币外，是否还包括其他形式货币，各国和地区规定并不完全相同。 (一)外国货币 关于外国货币，综观现今世界各国和地区的刑事法律，大多数国家和地区都把其列为本……     

Minimizing hand-to-glove DNA contamination

In this study, the Netherlands Forensic Institute’s (NFI) contamination prevention recommendations to prevent hand-to-outside-glove DNA transfer were assessed for effectiveness and subsequently optimized. The results of this study support the choice of using a 0.3% sodium hypochlorite solution or commercially available RNase AWAY as decontamination reagents to clean and subsequently dry the exterior of donned gloves prior to entering the lab and/or handling items of evidence.     

Trends in explosive contamination

This study sought to assign a rough order of magnitude for the amount of explosive residue likely to be available in real-world searches for clandestine explosives. A variety of explosives (TNT, TATP, HMX, AN, RDX, PETN) in various forms (powder, flake, detonating cord, plastic) were carefully weighed or cut into containers, and the amount of residue inadvertently remaining on the work area, hands, or containers was quantified. This was used to evaluate the spillage potential of each explosive. The adhesion of each explosive to a glass surface was quantified from amount of explosive adhering to the inside of a glass vial into which the explosive had been placed and then removed by vigorous tapping. In powdered form, most of the explosives--TNT, PETN, RDX, HMX, and TATP--exhibited similar spillage and adhesion to glass. However, PETN as sheet explosive and plasticized RDX (C-4), showed very little potential to contaminate surfaces, either by spillage or adhesion to glass.     

Drug screening and confirmation by GC-MS: comparison of EMIT II and Online KIMS against 10 drugs between US and England laboratories

Drug screening through urinalysis is a widely accepted tool for rapid detection of potential drug use at a relatively low cost. It is, therefore, a potentially useful method for detecting and monitoring drug use in a variety of contexts such as the criminal justice system, pre-employment screening and a variety of treatment centers. This article explores the efficacy of two commercially available drug-screening assays: Online KIMS assay (Roche) and EMIT II assays. First, we evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of two immunoassays. A total of 738 urine samples were collected among adult arrestee populations from Chicago, New Orleans and Seattle through the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program. Partial samples were split within one laboratory and analyzed by both enzymes multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) II and kinetic interaction of microparticle in solution (KIMS) assays for a 10-drug panel (amphetamine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, marijuana, cocaine, methadone, methaqualone, opiate, phencyclidine and propoxyphene). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used as a confirmation method for all positives from either EMIT II or KIMS for all experiments. Second, the paper examines whether using different testing laboratories plays a role in the final results. The same experiments were repeated at two different testing locations: one in California and one in London and England. Third, the paper studies whether drug testing results vary between two laboratories when each of them had used their own routine screening method: the Forensic Science Service (FSS) at Birmingham, United Kingdom with KIMS assay and Medscreen Limited at London, United Kingdom with EMIT II. In summary, both EMIT II and KIMS assays generate fairly consistent results. The concordance rate against each of the 10 drugs tested is relatively high (97.4-100%). The discrepancies, in most cases, occurred at drug concentrations near the cut-off levels. There were more discrepant results between two laboratories compared to when specimens were analyzed at the same laboratory using two different assays.