Currency counterfeiting ring busted in capital

The Detective Branch (DB) of police yesterday busted a currency counterfeiting gang in the capital's Jurain, arresting nine people and recovering fake notes of Tk 32 lakh and Rs 20 lakh.

On secret information that such gangs become active ahead of New Year, a DB team led by Assistant Commissioner Mohiuddin (Gulshan  division) raided the "fake note factory" at a rented flat on Shaheed Shahadat  Hossain Road in the area.

Law enforcers seized Tk 4.05 lakh during the drive, he said.

Detectives also seized a huge amount of special papers,  safety yarn, paints, chemicals, laptops, printers,  lamination machines, cutters and other materials, which  were enough to make crores of counterfeit taka and rupees, said a DB  official.

The arrestees are Liakot Hossain alias Zakir, Badal  Khan, Jahangir Alam, Malek Faraji alias Sagar, Shihab, Jasim,  Jamal Hossain, Obaidul and Zakir's wife Momtaz.

There are  dozens of cases against almost all the arrestees in different  districts of the country,  said police.

Moshiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Gulshan  division of DB, said Zakir is the key person behind this illegal business.

Obaidul and Jasim used to make the special papers and security  yarn for the gang. Badal is a  dealer in Dhaka, Savar and Manikganj and Shihab in  the capital while Sagar in Narayanganj and Gazipur.

Jamal is the main supplier of counterfeit notes in the southern region including Barishal.

"They  have a strong network through which they sell such fake currencies in  markets and shopping centres," Mashiur added.

Police  said various members of the gang used to make counterfeit money by  hiding in Bagerhat, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Dhaka,  Narayanganj and Gazipur.

Mashiur said filing of a case  is under process and police will seek remand for the arrestees to question them. They are trying to arrest rest of the gang members, he added.