Law enforcement agencies have intensified the intelligence operations across the country in order to stop circulation of counterfeit currencies ahead of Eid.

"We have instructed all the units of the RAB to remain specially alert on circulation of the fake currency ahead of the Eid," Director General of RAB Mukhlesur Rahman told BSS on Friday.

Intelligence watch has been intensified at different places, particularly at the shopping malls and bank areas as the currency forgers usually increase production of counterfeit notes targeting Eid.

In addition to the shopping malls and bank areas, areas around different slums are also under watch because of the currency forgers prefer illiterate slum dwellers to other areas to circulate the fake notes.

Over a dozen of crime syndicates are involved in Dhaka and its adjoining areas in producing fake notes of different currencies, especially US dollars, Euro, Pound, Saudi Riyal and Taka, a RAB official said.

"Criminals usually choose the low grade areas like slums located at different parts of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Savar, Tongi, Gazipur, Munsiganj, Keraniganj for running the illegal business," he said.

"The criminals spend around Taka 150 for producing a note of Taka 500 as a real note of Taka 100 and chemicals of Taka 50 are needed to convert it into a Taka 500 note," he said, quoting some of the criminals earlier arrested and interrogated by the RAB.

"The fake note traders first sell a fake note of Taka 500 at Taka 250 to the whole sellers who sell it to the third party at Taka 350 who later sell it to the fourth party at Taka 400," he said.

"Though we have lodged scores of cases against the arrested people with different police stations, they get bail from the court after a period as the sections under which the cases were lodged are bailable and later get them involved in the same business," he said.

Ends/AMA/12/07/13