MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan police on Saturday arrested the ringleader of an inter-provincial gang involved in circulating counterfeit currency across the Kohistan districts.
“We have arrested the ringleader and seized as many as 375 counterfeit currency notes of Rs5,000 denominations, which were planned to be circulated in local markets,” District Police Officer, Upper Kohistan, Tahir Iqbal told reporters here.
The DPO said he had ordered a crackdown against criminals deceiving traders and the public by using fake currency while purchasing essential goods in bulk from markets and wholesale dealers.
He added that on receiving a tip-off that counterfeit currency had been smuggled into the district and was being transported to Kamila Bazaar, a police team led by SHO Khalilur Rehman was constituted to take action.
“The team intercepted a vehicle on the Karakoram Highway and, during a search, recovered a packet filled with counterfeit currency notes.
The accused, Fazl Kareem, was arrested on the spot,” Iqbal said.
He said the arrested suspect was a resident of Jalkot (Kohistan) now settled in Mansehra and was the ringleader of a gang involved in circulating fake currency in Kohistan and other districts of the province.
The DPO appealed to the public to cooperate with police in identifying and apprehending criminal gangs operating in the district.
Police registered an FIR under Sections 34 and 489-B of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Meanwhile, police seized a large quantity of narcotics during a crackdown in the district.
The SHO Khaki Police Station Saad Yousufzai said police launched an anti-narcotics drive and, during several raids, recovered large quantities of charas, heroin, and ice, arresting several drug peddlers.
He said the crackdown was launched on the directives of the district police officer, and multiple teams were formed to raid narcotics dens in Khaki and its adjoining areas.
