The Special Cell of Delhi Police has seized a big consignment of counterfeit Indian currency notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000 sent from across the border. The face value of notes is around Rs 10 lakh.

Police have arrested key member of the syndicate identified as Khalik Sheikh (32) resident of Joyenpur, district Malda,

West Bengal, who used to pump fake currency notes into Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal via the porous Bangladesh border.

According to Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Cell, a specific information was received about a key member of the said syndicate. The information was that member would come near Anand Vihar Railway Station in East Delhi to deliver big consignment of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) to one of his Delhi based contact following which a trap was laid and the accused was apprehended with Rs 10 lakh FICN in his possession on the spot.

“During interrogation the accused disclosed that to earn easy money he was lured by Ashfaq a resident of Bangladesh and presently living in Malda, West Bengal, to join his illegal trade of FICN trafficking. He has been indulged in transporting and circulating of FICN to various parties in Delhi, UP and other adjoining areas for last about three years,” said the DCP.

Explaining the modus operandi of the accused persons, the DCP said that Sheikh used to buy FICNs from one Ashfaq by paying Rs 40 per Rs 100 FICN and further used to supply it to his contacts for Rs 50-60 per Rs 100 of FICN. “So far he accepted to have delivered about 4 to 5 consignments of FICN amounting to more than Rs 20 lakh in Delhi and UP. They used to smuggle FICN into Malda in West Bengal through Bangladesh,” said the DCP.

“Further investigation of case is in progress. Efforts to nab remaining members of this syndicate are afoot,” the DCP added.