‘Suspects pumped crores in fake notes’

Investigations against the four accused, arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch last week, have indicated that they have pumped fake currency worth crores of rupees in the time that they have been active, based on the results of their interrogation.

On Wednesday last week, the property cell of the Crime Branch arrested Jomidar Sheikh  alias  Jamadar, Jamaal Sheikh, Md Ismail Sheikh and Mofazul Sheikh from near the Reay road railway station. They seized Rs 4.40 lakh in fake currency. They are believed to have already circulated around Rs 60,000 in fake currency, police said.

“During interrogation, the accused have told us that they would come to Mumbai every 15 days with atleast Rs 5 lakh in fake currency and would circulate them in the city before leaving. They would go to busy, crowded market places like the Crawford Market, where shopkeepers have scant time to check for anything but the watermark of Mahatma Gandhi on the currency note. A fake Rs 1,000 note can only be detected by a machine like those used by banks or by a highly trained eye,” said a Crime Branch officer.