Three men who allegedly learnt to print counterfeit currency through social-media reels were arrested in Greater Noida on Tuesday, with police recovering fake ₹ 100 notes with a face value of about ₹ 2.55 lakh from their possession.
Police identified the suspects as Bunty, 23, Khushdil, 21, and Upendra, 25, all residents of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
“The paper used by them was thinner than that used in genuine currency notes. Police claimed they offered counterfeit notes with a face value of ₹ 7 lakh in exchange for ₹ 1 lakh in genuine currency and also attempted to exchange fake notes for USDT. Officers recovered 2,549 counterfeit ₹ 100 notes, a printer, a cutting machine, an SUV and four mobile phones from the accused, police said. A case was registered at Ecotech 1 police station under sections 178 (counterfeiting coins, government stamps, currency notes or banknotes), 179 (using forged or counterfeit currency notes as genuine) and 180 (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
They received information that a group in Greater Noida was allegedly exchanging counterfeit currency for USDT (Tether), a cryptocurrency-linked stablecoin, according to police. “Following the information, an investigation was conducted and the suspects were arrested from the Sisra area on Tuesday,” said Arvind Kumar, station house officer of Ecotech 1 police station. Police said the three allegedly learnt the process of producing counterfeit notes through reels on social media and subsequently bought paper rolls, a printer, a cutter and other equipment. The seized notes are being examined further,” Kumar said. Investigators said the suspects had allegedly been printing counterfeit currency in Greater Noida for the past two-and-a-half months. Police said the case came to light after a person dealing in USDT was approached by the suspects and alerted them. Police said they are investigating where the suspects procured the paper and equipment used to print the notes, as well as the network through which the counterfeit currency was allegedly being circulated.
