SALEM, N.H. — Four New York City residents were ordered held on bail Wednesday after counterfeit $100 bills were passed at several area stores.

The four were nabbed by Salem police Tuesday afternoon after Mohenie Persaud, 18, of Queens, tried to make a purchase with a fake bill at Petco on South Broadway, according to Salem Police Lt. Joel Dolan.

The clerk refused the sale, prompting the woman to leave the store. The clerk called police, giving a description of Persaud and the Dodge Caravan in which she was riding.

Officer Sean Wilson quickly found the van in the store parking lot. Officers asked to search the vehicle and discovered more than $1,600 in merchandise from at least six Salem stores, Dolan said.

“We are still trying to track them all down,” Dolan said Wednesday morning. “There might be a couple more victims. That amount is expected to go up.”

They also found marijuana, heroin and three counterfeit bills among at least 15 bills that were passed during the shopping spree, he said.

Persaud and three men, all from Queens, were placed under arrest shortly after 4 p.m. and arraigned Wednesday in 10th Circuit Court. 

Persuad was charged with forgery and possession of marijuana, both felony charges. She was held on $10,000 cash bail.

Also charged were Nicholas Partap, 21; Brian Hernandez, 19, and Eric Ranglall, 20.

Partap and Hernandez were charged with possession of heroin and held on $10,000 cash bail. Partap was also charged with forgery.

Ranglall was charged with possession of heroin, transporting drugs in a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without a license, Dolan said. He was held on $5,000 cash bail.

In addition to Petco, counterfeit bills were used to purchase merchandise from Kohls, Michaels, Best Buy, TJ Maxx and DSW.

If released, the four suspects must stay out of Salem stores and avoid contact with each other, Dolan said. They are scheduled to return to court for probable cause hearings Aug. 13.

Dolan said while it’s not unusual for groups to come to Salem to engage in fraud, this was the first case of counterfeit bills being passed in town this summer.  

Ireland writes for the North Andover, Massachusetts Eagle-Tribune.