Police bust fake currency racket in Kushinagar, 10 arrested

Lucknow: The Kushinagar police on Monday arrested 10 members of a gang involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit currency and seized fake notes worth Rs 5.62 lakh, along with illegal arms and ammunition.Those arrested were identified as Mohammad Rafiq Khan, Naushad Khan, Mohammad Rafi Ansari, Aurangzeb, Sheikh Jamaluddin, Niyazuddin, Rehan Khan, Hasim Khan, Seraj Hashmati, and Parvez Ilahi. The gang has 36 cases with maximum of 11 against Mohammed Rafiq Khan.Police also recovered Rs 1.10 lakh genuine Indian currency obtained from selling counterfeit notes. Nepalese currency worth Rs 3,000, 10 illegal .315 bore pistols with 30 live cartridges, 12 empty shells, four handmade bombs, 13 mobile phones with 26 fake SIM cards, 10 forged Aadhaar cards, 10 ATM cards, and eight laptops and two luxury cars were also seized.Superintendent of police, Kushinagar, Santosh Mishra, said the arrested individuals are part of an organised crime syndicate that has been operational for an extended period."They would mix counterfeit notes with genuine currency for transactions in the market. Additionally, they used intimidation tactics, often involving firearms and explosives, to illegally acquire disputed lands and subsequently sell them at inflated prices, generating substantial illicit profits," said Mishra.Several of the arrested individuals have prior criminal records, including charges related to assault, fraud, and possession of illegal firearms.Mohammad Rafi Ansari and Aurangzeb too have multiple cases registered against them in various police stations across the district, said the police.