Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-1 has busted a counterfeit currency factory in Gazipur and arrested three people along with fake notes and equipment used to produce them.
Lieutenant Nafiz Bin Jamal, commander of the RAB-1 Gazipur Porabari Camp, confirmed the development on Tuesday.
The raid was conducted around 9:15pm on Monday at Khokon Villa in the Dattapara area under Tongi East Police Station. During the operation, RAB members recovered counterfeit notes worth Tk5.4 lakh and arrested three individuals allegedly involved in producing and selling fake currency.
The arrestees are Arif Raihan, 31, of Dattapara (Alam Market) in Tongi East; Rubel Mia, 33, of Kochashhar (Shaktipur Bazar) village in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha; and Zahidul Islam Sabuj, 31, of Ghogha (Hatil) village in Muktagachha upazila of Mymensingh. Rubel lived at Khokon Villa in the College Gate area of Tongi, while Sabuj lived in a rented house under Tongi West Police Station.
RAB also recovered counterfeit notes worth Tk9.1 lakh in printed form, 10 reams of paper of various sizes, four printers, three laptops, a paper cutter, a laminating machine, two paper binder machines, a scanner, 15 cartridges of printer ink of different colours, a hair dryer, 25 screen frames, two screen lock frames, four plastic scales, five cutters, six fuel papers, around 1.5 litres of spirit, spray paint, two bottles of chemicals, five scissors, three multiplugs, 15 boxes of adhesive gum, a smartwatch and Tk1,900 in cash.
Lieutenant Nafiz said RAB received intelligence that a counterfeit currency factory had been set up on the fifth floor of Khokon Villa, from where fake notes were being sold. Acting on the information, RAB operatives posed as buyers and contacted the group through social media platforms, including Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp.
After confirming the location using electronic surveillance and intelligence sources, RAB conducted the raid and arrested the suspects red-handed with counterfeit notes and equipment.
According to RAB, the group was planning to circulate the fake currency in the market during various festivals, including the upcoming Eid.
During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that two more members were involved in the operation and that they had been producing and selling counterfeit notes for a long time.
RAB said the main accused, Arif Raihan, had previously been involved in a cutting business, through which he learned printing techniques. He reportedly received training from individuals from Khulna and became involved in counterfeiting to repay debts. The others also joined the operation due to financial difficulties, investigators said.
The arrested individuals have been handed over to Tongi East Police Station for further legal action.
