Fake $100 bills covered in mysterious white powder found in a grocery store twice, leave shoppers dizzy in seconds

Spotting fake money feels like a scene from a movie, but this time, a seemingly cinematic moment turned into reality in Orange County, US. Bizarrely, the counterfeit currency was covered in a mysterious white powder inside an Irvine grocery store.Counterfeit notes can trick us into thinking we’re rich, but they shake economies by hiking prices and causing billions in losses worldwide. Worse, when laced with substances like ephedrine, they can make people dizzy or sick, and can even be linked to bigger crimes like drug operations. Counterfeit $100 bills laced with white powder were found twice at the Albertsons on Quail Hill Parkway in Irvine - first on February 7, then again on February 10 - leading to a swift police investigation.On that initial Saturday, two employees spotted the phony notes on a grocery aisle floor and handed them to their manager, but soon started feeling dizzy.Medics cleared them on-site, though the workers visited a hospital out of caution. Tests later revealed the powder was ephedrine - a legal stimulant linked to meth production that can be harmful if mishandled.According to a New York Post report, Ziggy Azarcon, public information officer for the Irvine Police Department, confirmed the findings. Hazmat crews checked the bills and identified ephedrine, noting that the store passed health inspections and remains open.“If you are going to pick something off the ground, be mindful of what you’re picking up,” Azarcon warned, according to the New York Post. “If something looks suspicious, call your local authorities.”The second incident on Wednesday involved shoppers finding more fake $100 bills in carts, this time without any powder, which they reported immediately. No injuries occurred then, but the repetition has heightened concerns in this family-friendly area near the Woodbury and Turtle Rock neighbourhoods.Ephedrine, while regulated for asthma medication, poses risks like a rapid heart rate or nausea when inhaled or absorbed, especially in its pure form.This isn’t the only case. An increase in such counterfeiting incidents often hits retail spots during economic dips, but the powder adds a toxic twist - possibly to deter handling or as a byproduct of meth production.