In a well coordinated operation, sleuths of the CB-CID counterfeit currency wing busted a State-wide racket and arrested six persons in connection with the crime on Thursday. The wing also confiscated counterfeits with a face value of `6.8 lakh, all in the denomination of `1,000, and a machine used by the gang to print the notes.
Sources said that based on intelligence reports, Madurai zone CB-CID counterfeit currency wing zeroed in on a gang on suspicion. Investigations revealed that the quartet was led by one Habeeb Rehman (67), a native of Karur, who was allegedly involved in several other such rackets in the past.
Subsequently, the team picked the gang of four when they were on the move in Dindigul. A search revealed that they were carrying counterfeits with a face value of `4 lakh with them.
The team arrested Anwar Ali (34), of Karur, Karuppusamy (42) and Pandi (24), of Virudhunagar, in connection with the seizure.
During interrogations, the quartet spilled beans on their other gang members. They told the police that they were supplied with the fake notes by a duo Kumaresan (25), of Erode and Shyam, of Coimbatore. Based on the information, a team raided the premises of the duo in Erode and arrested them. They seized fake notes with a face value of `2.80 lakh.
R Pandirajan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Madurai zone CB-CID counterfeit currency wing, said that Habeeb Rehman, who had involvement in another fake currency case, was guiding a team that was involved in circulation of fake notes.
Kumaresan, a school drop out, was adept at producing fake notes using A4 size paper and Anwar Ali supported him with technical guidance. Kumaresan had been using a simple scanner-printer machine at his home to make the counterfeits, said the officer. The counterfeits were so high in quality that it would be hard to distinguish it from the genuine ones, Pandirajan added.