Counterfeit currency worth Rs 9.75 lac seized at Kochi airport
Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (VM)
Kasargod, Jan 29: The Kochi airport officials on Saturday January 26 seized counterfeit notes worth Rs 9.75 lac from a passenger who arrived from Dubai.
The accused has been identified as Abid (34) from Mallapuram. He was taken into custody.
Abid possessed 1,950 counterfeit notes of Rs 500 denomination, altogether amounting to Rs 9.75 lac.
Police investigations revealed that Salam from Kasargod was the mastermind behind the racket and that the notes were printed in Pakistan.
Sources said that Abid owned more than one passport. "There is a close involvement of terrorist outfits in counterfeit notes racket. Hence the investigation has been handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA)," said police.
As per the information obtained, Abid met Salam in Jeddah. Salam promised to pay him Rs 50,000 once the fake notes were delivered to Kasargod. Salam told Abid that the bag contained saffron flowers and asked him to hand it over to a person at Kochi airport.
The fake notes were hidden under clothes in the bag.
A car which had arrived at the airport to receive Abid was also seized, and its driver was taken into custody.