3 arrested in counterfeit currency operation in Gazipur
They were planning to circulate a large volume of fake currency ahead of Ramadan, Eid and Durga Puja, a RAB official said.
RAB-1 has uncovered a large counterfeit currency factory in Tongi area of Gazipur and arrested three people along with fake notes worth around Tk14.5 lakh and a huge cache of equipment used to print counterfeit money.
The arrestees were identified as Arif Raihan, 31, Md Rubel Mia, 33 and Md Zahidul Islam alias Sobuj, 31, confirmed Lt Commander Md Nafiz Bin Jamal, company commander of RAB-1's Porabari Camp.
According to RAB, acting on a tip-off, the raid was carried out at around 9:15pm last night (26 January) at a fifth-floor apartment of Khokon Villa in Dattapara under Tongi East Police Station, and the suspects were caught red-handed producing fake currency at about 11:25pm after hours of surveillance.
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RAB said fake notes worth Tk5.40 lakh which were in the process of production were recovered, along with another Tk9.10 lakh in counterfeit notes already printed on paper.
Law enforcers also seized four printers, three laptops, a paper-cutting machine, a laminating machine, screen frames, various inks and chemicals, and other equipment used in the operation.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects admitted to producing counterfeit notes in collusion for a long time and circulating them, the RAB official said.
They were also planning to circulate a large volume of fake currency ahead of Ramadan, Eid and Durga Puja, the RAB official added.
The seized equipment and the arrested suspects have been handed over to Tongi East Police Station for further legal action, the official added, noting that RAB's drives against such crimes will continue.
