SHILLONG: Two persons were arrested with counterfeit notes worth Rs 1.32 lakh in West Garo Hills on Monday.
All the fake Indian currency notes (FICN) were in Rs 2,000 and were of “very high quality and only experts could differentiate”, said West Garo Hills SP Raghvendra Kumar. Police are looking for other members of the gang.
“This is supposedly a big gang of international smugglers who source their FICN from across the international border mostly through Mankachar,” he said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Abdul Kalam from Hazirat and Salseng Sangma and they have a wide network in Garo Hills.
The seized notes are difficult to discern as they have most of the security features, including the high security thread and raised printing for the visually challenged.
The police said the gang has circulated around Rs 30-40 lakhs in Garo Hills. The gang’s modus operandi is to mix FICN into the system at local markets and through other businesses.
The two-wheeler that the arrested duo was using was also seized.