In a major crackdown, police recovered counterfeit Indian currency notes with a fae value of ₹33.56 lakh from a house in Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, late on Saturday.
The operation was conducted by a special team from the Matia Police Station, aided by Basirhat district police, based on a confidential tip-off regarding the presence of fake currency notes near the India-Bangladesh border.
The raid was carried out in Mathurapur village under the Kholapota gram panchayat. Upon searching the house, officials discovered a large stash of counterfeit notes in ₹200, 500, and 2,000 denomination, neatly packed and hidden inside the premises.
The main accused, reportedly the owner of the house, managed to flee before the raid and is currently absconding.
Police have detained his brother, Sheikh Abdul Reza, for questioning as part of the investigation. Police are now working to determine the source of the fake notes, the intended destination and whether the operation was part of a larger syndicate backed by terrorist outfits.
A senior investigating officer stated, “We are probing every angle to understand the full scope of the fake note racket and identify others involved. The proximity to the international border is a major concern.”
This raid is the latest in a series of efforts by law enforcement to dismantle counterfeit currency networks operating across the state. In January, the Special Task Force (STF) arrested a suspect named Sheikh Munna at Howrah station and seized fake notes with face value of ₹92,000. Munna, a resident of Murshidabad, was believed to be part of an inter-state counterfeit network.
In a separate operation in April, police apprehended two individuals — Alamin Sheikh and another identified as Mr Sheikh — from the Shamsherganj area. Both were residents of the Baishnabnagar police station area in Malda district. Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted the duo as they were transporting fake currency by boat. A significant volume of counterfeit notes was recovered from their bags.
Officials from the STF and local police believe these cases are linked to a widespread inter-state and possibly cross-border counterfeit currency racket, with operatives using remote border areas for smuggling and distribution.
Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network.
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