STF arrests 4 for smuggling fake notes

Kolkata: The special task force (STF) of Kolkata police has arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in smuggling fake currency notes.

According to police, fake Indian currency notes worth Rs 4.25 lakh were seized from their possession on Thursday evening. In the total amount seized, there were 162 notes of 2000 denomination and 198 notes of 500 denomination.

The accused who have been arrested are identified as Prashanta Majumdar, a resident of Nadia, Md Akram Ali from Tiljala, Anarul Haque from Malda, Md Guddu Khureshi, a resident of Topsia area. All of them have been booked under sections 120B/ 489B/489C IPC.

Acting on a specific information, the anti-FICN unit of the STF raided Maharani Swarnamoyee Street under Narkeldanga police station area and arrested the accused when they were exchanging fake notes.

According to the preliminary investigation, police suspect Anarul had got the fake notes into the city from North Bengal. Police also suspect he might be one of the kingpins behind the smuggling racket.

After interrogating the accused, the investigators came to know that the main accused used to bring fake notes from Malda. Anarul is suspected to be a part an international

smuggling racket.

Cops suspect these fake notes might have been smuggled into the country from Bangladesh. Police are conducting a detailed probe into the incident.

The fake notes were being distributed in the city.

Police had prior information about the accused who had gathered at a specific place in the city to exchange the notes.

They are also conducting raids to nab other accused who are involved in the incident. Police are interrogating the arrested youths to know the names of others.

It may be mentioned that on 27 December, Kolkata police had arrested two persons for smuggling fake currency notes. Police also seized fake notes worth Rs 5 lakh on an earlier occasion.

The investigating officers are probing if there was any connection between the

two incidents.