Foreigners behind fake currency

“Criminals from Africa, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand train local people”

Some foreign nationals, mostly from African countries, are allegedly training locals on how to make fake currencies in the capital, posing a great risk to the country’s financial system. After arresting some foreigners from different parts of the capital, law enforcers recently came to know that these foreigners are training local citizens. A huge amount of money is being paid to them by these greedy and corrupt people who want to become millionaires overnight.
Talking to The Independent on Friday, the Commanding Officer of the Rapid Action Battalion-2 (RAB-2),  Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed, said: "We recently arrested 10 people, including nine foreign nationals, from the Bashundhara residential area in the city in connection with training in making fake currencies. Of those arrested, six are from Cameroon, two from Congo, one from Lesotho and a woman was identified as a Bangladeshi national."
The arrested were identified as Abdou Nassara (35), Jean Claude (40), Mare Moyna Poroi Taylor (26), Gonou DeSire (37), Kambiwa Dieu Nedort (43),Tiadeu Barnard (34), Moguem Solo (42), Ngonga Diasonama Merlin (41), Mutombo Nzali Yousouf (44), Mimba Serges (37).
"We also seized a large amount of fake local and foreign currencies from their possession. During preliminary interrogation, the arrested admitted they were training some local people on how to make fake currencies," the RAB-2 chief said.
 Replying to a question, Lt Col Mohiuddin said: "We've learnt that many foreigners, especially from African countries, have come to Bangladesh to train a large number of local people. Actually, these foreigners visit Bangladesh as part of their pre-planned motive to train local members of fake currency making groups."
 Describing the modus operandi, some local members of the fake currency racket said persons interested are taken to a secret place and provided extensive training so that they themselves become trainers in future.
 After being paid by the trainees, the foreigners hand over all related materials, including paper and chemicals, to them.
 Later, the highly skilled local trainees train new members of the racket to strengthen their network. Local people then start making fake notes which are supplied through middlemen. They became desperate ahead of occasions like Eid and Durga Puja.
Intelligence officials said over 50 fake currency gangs are active across the country ahead of this Eid.  Replying to another question, the RAB-2 officer said these foreigners were sending money earned here to their respective countries by illegal means to dodge law enforcers.
 The inspector general of police (IGP), AKM Shahidul Hoque, said recently that they have given instructions to combat the fake money trade seriously. Shop owners were asked to install fake note detection devices, he said.
Not only African countries, some international criminals from Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand are also involved in the fake currency racket by providing technical support, sources in the intelligence agencies said.
Hoque said, “We arrested Pakistani national Rehman and seized counterfeit Indian currency notes worth Rs. 300,000 and fake Pakistani currency worth Rs. 2,770 from his possession.”
 In February last year, Mohammad Mazhar Khan, attaché at the consular section of the Pakistani high commission in Bangladesh, allegedly an agent of Pakistan’s secret service, the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), was withdrawn from Bangladesh after intelligence agencies found his direct links with the fake currency syndicate.
 Intelligence agencies had kept Mazhar under strict surveillance after a confessional statement was made by Mujibur Rahman, a local member of the fake currency racket. He confessed that the Pakistani diplomat was directly involved in collecting and smuggling fake Indian currency.

Foreigners behind fake currency

“Criminals from Africa, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand train local people”

Some foreign nationals, mostly from African countries, are allegedly training locals on how to make fake currencies in the capital, posing a great risk to the countrys financial system. After arresting some foreigners from different parts of the capital, law enforcers recently came to know that these foreigners are training local citizens. A huge amount of money is being paid to them by these greedy and corrupt people who want to become millionaires overnight. Talking to The Independent on Friday, the Commanding Officer of the Rapid Action Battalion-2 (RAB-2), Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed, said: We recently arrested 10 people, including nine foreign nationals, from the Bashundhara residential area in the city in connection with training in making fake currencies. Of those arrested, six are from Cameroon, two from Congo, one from Lesotho and a woman was identified as a Bangladeshi national. The arrested were identified as Abdou Nassara (35), Jean Claude (40), Mare Moyna Poroi Taylor (26), Gonou DeSire (37), Kambiwa Dieu Nedort (43),Tiadeu Barnard (34), Moguem Solo (42), Ngonga Diasonama Merlin (41), Mutombo Nzali Yousouf (44), Mimba Serges (37). We also seized a large amount of fake local and foreign currencies from their possession. During preliminary interrogation, the arrested admitted they were training some local people on how to make fake currencies, the RAB-2 chief said. Replying to a question, Lt Col Mohiuddin said: Weve learnt that many foreigners, especially from African countries, have come to Bangladesh to train a large number of local people. Actually, these foreigners visit Bangladesh as part of their pre-planned motive to train local members of fake currency making groups. Describing the modus operandi, some local members of the fake currency racket said persons interested are taken to a secret place and provided extensive training so that they themselves become trainers in future. After being paid by the trainees, the foreigners hand over all related materials, including paper and chemicals, to them. Later, the highly skilled local trainees train new members of the racket to strengthen their network. Local people then start making fake notes which are supplied through middlemen. They became desperate ahead of occasions like Eid and Durga Puja. Intelligence officials said over 50 fake currency gangs are active across the country ahead of this Eid. Replying to another question, the RAB-2 officer said these foreigners were sending money earned here to their respective countries by illegal means to dodge law enforcers. The inspector general of police (IGP), AKM Shahidul Hoque, said recently that they have given instructions to combat the fake money trade seriously. Shop owners were asked to install fake note detection devices, he said. Not only African countries, some international criminals from Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand are also involved in the fake currency racket by providing technical support, sources in the intelligence agencies said. Hoque said, We arrested Pakistani national Rehman and seized counterfeit Indian currency notes worth Rs. 300,000 and fake Pakistani currency worth Rs. 2,770 from his possession. In February last year, Mohammad Mazhar Khan, attach at the consular section of the Pakistani high commission in Bangladesh, allegedly an agent of Pakistans secret service, the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), was withdrawn from Bangladesh after intelligence agencies found his direct links with the fake currency syndicate. Intelligence agencies had kept Mazhar under strict surveillance after a confessional statement was made by Mujibur Rahman, a local member of the fake currency racket. He confessed that the Pakistani diplomat was directly involved in collecting and smuggling fake Indian currency.