Malda, 3 September (Kiran News): West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) conducted a late-night raid in the Baishnabnagar area of Malda district on Tuesday, seizing a huge consignment of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and arresting two smugglers. Acting on a tip-off, the STF team intercepted two suspects near PTS More on NH-12 (towards Farakka), recovering counterfeit notes with a total face value of ₹20.87 lakh.
According to STF SP Indrajit Basu, IPS, the team received information about possible FICN smuggling in the area. During surveillance, two youths loitering suspiciously by the roadside were stopped. On searching their bags, STF officials found bundles of fake notes—4,174 pieces of ₹500 denomination, all with different serial numbers. Preliminary questioning revealed that the notes had been smuggled in from Bangladesh.
The arrested accused have been identified as Hazrat Belal alias Masood (24), of Baishnabnagar, and Torikul Islam (25), of Kaliachak, both in Malda district. Both were caught on the NH-12 near PTS More while allegedly moving towards Farakka.
After the seizure, police completed necessary legal procedures and took the accused to the police station. A case has been registered at Baishnabnagar Police Station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, 2023. Officials said further investigation is underway to trace others linked to the racket and map the entire supply chain.
Authorities are keeping a close watch on FICN smuggling in border areas. STF has increased coordination with local police, intensified profiling of suspicious activities, and strengthened the informer network to dismantle such operations at their source. Agencies are also technically analysing the seized notes for printing quality, serial number patterns, and sourcing routes.
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