SHILLONG: Amidst high drama, the Customs sleuths have seized huge quantity of fake Indian currency notes on Friday, but a man who was detained in the connection with the crime, was taken away by a mob at Mankachar in Meghalaya border.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, the Customs said that acting on a specific information, a joint team of officers from Headquarters Preventive Unit, Shillong and Anti-smuggling Unit of Customs Division, Guwahati have effected a seizure of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) having face value of Rs. 4, 50,000 (Rs. 1000 X 157 & Rs. 500 X 586) on Friday at around 1. 20 pm from a person near Raj Lodge, Mankachar, in front of the Mankachar Police Station.
Immediately after the alleged offender was taken into custody, he started to raise a hue and cry resulting in gathering of huge unruly and agitated crowd including miscreants who forcefully took away the apprehended person from the custody of the Customs officers, the statement said.
According to Customs, although, the incident happened in front of the police station none of the police personnel came forward to assist the Customs officers.
However, the officers managed to enter the police station along with the recovered F.I.C.N and subsequently seized the FICN. Further investigation of the case is on to arrest the persons involved in the FICN racket.