The State - News from March 28, 1988

Sheets of counterfeit $20 and $50 bills totaling more than $1.6 million were found floating in the Friant-Kern Canal near the Kern County community of McFarland. Sheriff’s deputies also found counterfeit money printing plates and more than 1,000 fake Social Security cards, Department of Motor Vehicle registrations and other documents. Detectives said it appeared that someone was dumping the plates because they had become worn. They said the money sheets and other counterfeit items probably were dumped because they were not considered good enough quality to be useful.