West Bengal, India (BBN) – The Border Security Force (BSF) seized 200 fake currency notes of Rs. 2,000 denomination in two separate cases near the Indo-Bangladesh International Border (IB) in West Bengal.
In the first case, a BSF patrol seized fake notes with face value of Rs. 3 lakh near the IB fence gate in the Churiantpur area of Malda last night, reports NDTV quoting PTI.
The seizure was made after suspected smugglers flung a packet into the Indian side from across the border.
The second incident was reported from the Farakka area in Murshidabad district today when the Border Security Force troops intercepted a Jharkhand-based man on a tip-off.
While the smugglers managed to escape taking the benefit of darkness, the patrol party seized the packet which has 150 fake Rs. 2,000 banknotes, the BSF said.
Fifty fake currency notes of Rs. 2,000 was seized from the man, they said.
“Genuine currency totaling Rs. 1,350, a mobile phone, an Aadhaar card and a driving licence was recovered from the man identified as R K Mondal (31),” a senior officer said.
Both the cases have been transferred to the local police, they added.
With this, the BSF has so far seized FICN (Fake Indian Currency Note) of face value Rs. 6.96 lakhs in three months near the border area.
The Kaliachak and Malda areas of West Bengal along the border are notorious for FICN smuggling.
In 2016, BSF’s South Bengal Frontier (comprising five border districts of West Bengal) had seized fake currency with face value of over Rs. 1.47 crore and arrested 19 smugglers.
The trend is being witnessed post demonetisation too although the trickle is slow, the officer said.
BBN/SK/AD
