Police seize dud currency notes

Yasaratne GAMAGE

Police took into custody five suspects and seized 73 fake notes printed in the Rs 2,000, Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations. The detections were made in Wattala and Kotadeniyawa on Sunday.

Police also seized computers and other accessories used to print the fake notes.

Kotadeniyawa police who were on mobile patrol at Katukenda stopped a motorcycle with two persons and found 18 fake notes of Rs 500 denomination from the possession of one motorcyclist.

Further interrogation of the suspect led the police to another suspect at Gurugewatte, Kotugoda who had in his possession counterfeit notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000, Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100 printed on A4 papers.

A printer, a scanner and a computer were among the items seized by the Police.

The other three suspects and a large number of counterfeit notes were recovered in Wattala on the same day when a shop keeper on suspicion alerted the police about a man who attempted to change a Rs 500 note at his shop.

Police immediately rushed to the scene and arrested the man and found 12 counterfeit notes in the denomination of Rs 500.

Police took into custody another person with 22 counterfeit notes in the denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination and a printing machine on information from the first suspect.

Further interrogation of the suspect revealed information about the third suspect.

He was taken into custody in Kotugoda, Ja Ela yesterday with 27 forged notes in the denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500.

Police also seized a printing machine, a computer and papers used to print forged notes. The suspects were produced before the Wattala magistrate yesterday.