Large stock of counterfeit currency notes seized in Kalubowila

The two suspects arrested were sisters about 19 and 20 years of age

A large stock of counterfeit currency notes of Rs.500 denomination was seized and two suspects arrested by the Kohuwala Police during a raid at Saranankara road in Kalubowila on Wednesday evening (29). The suspects were two sisters about 19 and 20 years of age.

They had changed the counterfeit notes by purchasing goods for prices of about Rs.100 from shops, boutiques and wayside stalls in Saranankara road until the manager of a super market informed police when the two women attempted to change a counterfeit note by paying a bill.

The suspects were in possession of 41 counterfeit notes, two cellular phones and several reload cards at the time of arrest. Investigations revealed that the king pin behind the racket was a businessman in the Maradana area and that he had used the two young women whom he had acquainted at his factory to change the counterfeit notes.

The suspects told police that the racketeer transported them to the Dehiwala area by trishaw and instructed on how to change the counterfeit currency notes without arousing the suspicion of traders.

A senior police official said the main suspect had fled from the area and that a police team was deployed to arrest him and to seize the machinery, tools and printing papers used by him.

OIC Crime Investigation Branch SI H.M. Siriwardene, Sergeant 23485 Bandara, PCS 88714 Weerakoon, WPCS 71412 Priyadarshani and 10432 Madushka are conducting further investigations on the instructions of ASP Samantha Wedage and SSP Muditha Pussella.

The suspects told police that the racketeer transported them to the Dehiwala area by trishaw and instructed on how to change the counterfeit currency notes without arousing the suspicion of traders