A team of Nepal Police, assisted by its West Bengal counterpart, has arrested seven persons, including a couple from the state, and seized counterfeit currency with a face value of around Rs 70 crore during a raid at a flat near Kolkata, an official said on Monday.
The raid was carried out on Sunday at an apartment located within the Kamarhati municipality area in Belgharia in North 24 Parganas district, where the couple had been residing.
The couple was identified as Deepa Dhar and her husband Arindam.
Investigators said counterfeit currency notes with a face value of about Rs 70 crore were recovered from iron trunks during the search of the flat. Police also seized 12 mobile phones and a luxury car from the premises.
According to officials, Deepa is a resident of the area, while Arindam hails from Harinavi in Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district. The two had reportedly married a few years ago.
Investigators suspect that the couple’s involvement in the counterfeit currency racket began after they travelled to Nepal in 2024.
“The couple reportedly travelled to Nepal in 2024, from where they are suspected to have begun their involvement in the counterfeit currency racket,” an officer said.
Also read: Police seize ₹1.12 lakh fake currency in Arunachal, four held
Police said the accused allegedly contacted businessmen through video calls, displaying stacks of counterfeit currency to convince them to invest in schemes promising unusually high returns.
“They used video calls to show bundles of currency and lure businesspersons into investing money with the promise that their investment would double,” the officer said.
Investigators believe the racket may be linked to a larger international smuggling network.
“The scale of the seizure indicates the possible involvement of a wider cross-border counterfeit currency network,” the officer said, adding that the accused are being questioned to trace the source of the fake notes and identify other members of the syndicate.
Among the seven people arrested in the case is a Nepalese national, police said.
Local residents said the flat had become known in the neighbourhood for hosting lavish parties and frequent gatherings, which had raised suspicions among some neighbours.
Police said further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the racket and its possible international links.
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