Sambalpur: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch has seized fake currency notes with a face value of more than Rs 15 lakh from Jujumura in Sambalpur district. Two inter-state criminals have been arrested in this connection.
Recently, the STF had busted a racket of printing fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) in Bargarh district and seized fake currency notes of Rs 14 lakh and other articles.
In the last 10 years, counterfeit Indian currency notes with a face value of Rs 10.4 crore have been seized, suggesting Odisha is fast turning into a hub of fake currency notes.
Of the total fake currency notes seized, lion shares of them were seized from districts like Bargarh, Sambalpur and Balasore.
Investigations have also proved the involvement of interstate criminals.
Earlier, counterfeit Indian currency notes used to be smuggled from Bangladesh to India. Now, such fake notes are being printed in Odisha itself. And gangs running the rackets usually rope in agents who circulate these notes along with original ones in fairs and markets.
