Police arrested three individuals in separate raids in Dhaka’s Kamrangirchar area and Narayanganj for their involvement in a large-scale counterfeit currency operation.
The arrestees — Sumon, 38, Sultana, 28, and Hanif Gazi, 48, — were produced before a court, which granted a two-day remand for each yesterday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. Md Jashim Uddin, deputy commissioner of Lalbagh Division, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, disclosed the details of the operation during a press briefing today.
During the drive conducted on Thursday, police seized counterfeit notes worth Tk 20 lakh, partially printed fake notes worth Tk 9.76 lakh in Tk 1,000 denominations, and various printing equipment.
Addressing media at DMP media centre, DC Jashim said police received intelligence at approximately 1:15pm on Thursday that a group involved in counterfeit currency trafficking was transporting fake notes via the Beribadh Road in Madbar Bazar Ghat.
A police team set up a checkpoint near the Buriganga Ganpathagar Social Welfare Organisation. As the suspects, travelling in an auto-rickshaw, approached, they attempted to flee upon seeing the police but were quickly apprehended, he added.
During a body search, police recovered Tk 4 lakh in counterfeit notes, including Tk 1,000 and Tk 500 denominations.
Following confessions from the arrestees, a second raid was conducted at 5:45pm the same day in the Kadamtali Gas Line area of Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.
At Sumon’s rented residence, police seized Tk 16 lakh in counterfeit notes, partially printed fake notes worth Tk 9.76 lakh, a CPU, a monitor, a colour printer, 10 printing dies, three containers of glue, two foil paper rolls, five ink containers, a rubber cutter, two vice clamps, and a sack of white paper used in the counterfeiting process, the DC said.
The suspects admitted to producing and distributing fake currency across the country for an extended period and had been preparing a large quantity of counterfeit notes for Eid distribution.
A case under the Special Powers Act has been filed against the three with Kamrangirchar Police Station.
A review of the suspects’ criminal records revealed several previous cases of counterfeit currency production and circulation.
