Police in Siem Reap town arrested a Chinese national yesterday for allegedly possessing almost $10,000 worth of fake money after he tried to buy a smartphone at a local shop with the fraudulent bills.

Hok Bunhav, deputy chief of Siem Reap’s lower-level criminal police, said his team arrested Lui Chang Jian, 45, and confiscated from him 99 fake $100 bills and two pieces of “ghost money” traditionally used for burning during Chinese New Year.

“He bought an iPhone 6 for $895 at the shop, but when he gave the money, the sellers checked and found out all the bills were fake.

The sellers said they would not accept it and asked the Chinese man to return the phone, but the man just walked out,” said Bunhav.

“The sellers called us and we arrested him just across the bridge near [the shrine] to Preah Ang Check and Preah Ang Chom.”

Police said the man arrived in Cambodia on January 9 in a tour group with five fellow Chinese tourists. The group was scheduled to return to China at 2pm yesterday.

The suspect is being held awaiting a court hearing today. Bunhav said this was the first time they had arrested someone with so much fake money in the past few years.

In September 2014, police in Battambang province arrested three Thai nationals for possessing more than $7 million in fake money, also entirely in $100 bills.