Counterfeiters active ahead of Eid

Detectives in separate drives in the capital arrested seven members of two fake currency-making gangs that were trying to circulate fake notes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

They were arrested from Mohammadpur and Farmgate on Monday with around 38 lakh Indian fake currency and Tk 11.50 lakh local notes, said Abdul Baten, joint commissioner of detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, at a press briefing at DMP media centre yesterday.

The law enforcers also seized five laptops, a laminating machine, security thread, paper and other equipment and ingredients used for printing counterfeit notes.

The forgers become active ahead of Eid every year as a lot of money changes hands during the period for shopping. The DB official, however, said people can check their money by fake note detecting devices to be available in the city cattle markets and major shopping malls.

They suspected the gang members produced the Indian currency to circulate those in the boarding areas, mainly for trading cattle there.

Detective officials said the two gangs so far could not circulate any fake notes and they were trying to arrest members of the other gangs.

Printing and circulation of fake notes take place in several phases, said law enforcers.

One group prepares and supplies the special paper while another group prints the counterfeit notes. A third group circulates them, according to DB investigators who quizzed the criminals.

The production cost of fake notes worth Tk 1 lakh ranges between Tk 3,000 and Tk 4,000 while they sold the same amount at Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000.