Representational image of fake currency
Credit: istock photo
Mangaluru: Mangaluru City Crime Branch (CCB) have been successful in arresting an inter state network of four people who were conspiring to circulate counterfeit currencies in the city.
The police have seized 427 fake currency notes with a face value of Rs 500. They have a total worth of Rs 2,13,500, said Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal to press.
The arrested are V Priyesh (38) from Kolathur in Kasargod, Vinod Kumar (33) from Muliyar in Kasargod, Abdul Khader S A (58) from Periya in Kasargod and Ayub Khan (51) from Belandoor in Kadaba.
Commissioner said that they were acting on a tip that accused in a lodge were conspiring to circulate counterfeit currencies in the city, the police conducted a raid and arrested them.
The police have also seized four phones and cash of Rs 9030.
Of the arrested, Priyesh owned a printing press at Cherkala in Kasargod where counterfeit notes were printed.
He had procured all the materials from Kozhikode and Delhi. Later on, he watched YouTube videos to understand and duplicate the quality of papers and foils to be used.
He decided to print and circulate the currencies to earn money. Accordingly, he contacted his friend Vinod Kumar, who in turn contacted Abdul Khader and Ayub who were into real estate business. Priyesh had loans to repay in Kasargod and wanted to make quick money, the Commissioner said. There is also a cheque bounce case against Priyesh.
Commissioner said that counterfeit notes looked almost similar to the currencies used in the transaction. It was a high category fake Indian currency notes (FICN).
One could not distinguish without a machine. The accused purchased a printer for the purpose.
After seeking the police custody of the arrested, the police will further investigate whether they have already circulated the counterfeit notes and how many have been printed so far.
The commissioner said that few more might have been involved in the network. CCB ACP Geetha Kulkarni, inspector Shyam Sundar H M , PSI Narendra and others were part of the team. CCB SI Rajendra who tipped off the team will be rewarded, said the commissioner.
The CEN police have registered a case under Section 179, 180, 184 of BNS.