Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur
Puttur, Jul 19: The accused involved in the fake currency racket that was recently busted at Adenja in Kaniyoor village of Beltangady taluk had procured state-of-the-art machinery. The counterfeit notes produced using these machines looked strikingly similar to genuine currency. However, the illegal operation was exposed while it was still in its experimental stage.
The gang had sourced advanced machinery from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kerala, indicating a significant capital investment. The mastermind behind the operation is said to be Ibrahim from Puttur, who is reportedly an expert in the racket. It is suspected that he devised the entire plan in collusion with the other accused.
Had these counterfeit notes entered the market, they could have circulated without raising any suspicion and caused severe economic disruption. The police have drawn widespread appreciation for thwarting the operation early. The Uppinangady police, under the guidance of the Beltangady deputy superintendent of police, have taken all seven accused into custody. An intensive investigation is underway, and a manhunt has been launched to nab the absconding suspects.
According to sources, a local accused named Sirajuddin from Uruvalu village had taken the house on rent to facilitate the illegal activity. Each member of the gang was reportedly skilled in a specific aspect of counterfeit currency manufacturing. Except for the main accused, Ibrahim, the others reportedly do not have a history of serious criminal offences. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
Despite their expertise in the illicit trade, the accused lacked complete knowledge of the newly acquired advanced machinery. To bridge this gap, the gang members resorted to watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to operate the equipment. Consequently, the manufacturing process was progressing at a slow pace, which contributed to them being caught during the trial stage.