Mangaluru: In a significant operation, the Mangaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police have arrested four individuals involved in the printing and circulation of counterfeit ₹500 notes. The accused, hailing from Kasargod district in Kerala, were allegedly running a racket involving the production and distribution of fake currency in the city.
The arrested individuals have been identified as V. Priyesh (38), Vinod Kumar K. (33), Abdul Khader SA (58), and Ayub Khan (51). The police seized 427 counterfeit ₹500 notes with a total face value of ₹2,13,500, along with four mobile phones.
Investigations revealed that Priyesh, who owned a printing press in Kasaragod, was the mastermind behind the operation. Inspired by YouTube tutorials, he learned the techniques of printing counterfeit currency to overcome his financial difficulties. Raw materials were procured from Kozhikode and Delhi for the production process. The other three accused were involved in distributing the fake notes.
The police have initiated further investigations to apprehend other members involved in the racket. Commissioner of Police Anupam Agarwal stated that this is a significant breakthrough in the crackdown on counterfeit currency activities in the region.