Vehicle check leads to fake note unit in Kovai

Police intercepted B Ananth, 31, also a history-sheeter, from Velandipalayam and found four Rs 2,000 fake notes in his possession. He was initially questioned regarding the increase in number of two-wheeler thefts and the police later stumbled upon the fake notes.

Acting on his information, the police team unearthed the counterfeit currency note printing unit at a rented room at Velandipalayam. The team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Somasundaram (crime - south sub-division), raided the unit and seized Rs 2,000 fake currency notes (to the tune of Rs 1.18 crore). The notes were ready in cartons to be supplied in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Nilgiris . Ananth, along with two other accomplices, Sundar and Yusuf from Karamadai, had rented a room for Rs 2,700 and began taking photocopies of original currency notes. Search is on to nab the other two,” a cop said. The police also seized a colour Xerox machine, computer, colouring agents and a paper cutter. The fake notes had different serial numbers and could be passed off easily as original notes.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that the trio had distributed the fake notes in Tirupur which has a large number of migrant population. “The total value of the counterfeit currency will be known only after the duo’s arrest,” another cop said. Police suspect the trio to be part of a larger network as the previous day, three persons, including two women were held for circulating photocopied notes in Salem district. The trio was caught after Abu Dahir, 46, a snacks vendor near the old bus stand, was surprised to see his Rs 2,000 note losing colour.

“When the same woman came again to buy snacks using a fake Rs 500 note, Dahir caught her and handed her over to Town Hall police. Based on her confession, two others Valarmathi and Manivannan were arrested for circulating over Rs 30,000 fake notes,” a cop said, adding, an inquiry is on to ascertain whether they are part of the same network.