Mumbai: Byculla police have dismantled a counterfeit currency factory operating out of a tin-shed structure in a remote field in Nihalpada, Palghar district. The illegal operation had been running for the past seven months. Police arrested four individuals—Umran alias Asif Balbale, Yaseen Yunus Shaikh, Bheem Badela, and Neeraj Vekhande—while the main mastermind remains on the run.
Initial investigations reveal that the gang transported counterfeit notes to Mumbai on motorcycles, distributing them during the recent election period. Acting on a tip-off about individuals attempting to circulate fake currency in Bhaykhala, Senior Inspector Chimaji Aadhav’s team, including Inspector Jitendra Shingote and other officers, laid a trap and detained Umran. Interrogations led to the arrests of Yaseen, Bheem, and eventually Neeraj at Nihalpada, where the factory was located.
The mastermind, who had recently been released on bail in another case, set up the counterfeit currency operation with Neeraj’s help. They constructed a tin shed in a field and operated the factory daily, using specialized machines to verify the quality of fake notes before distribution. The police also recovered a pen drive containing crucial data and are tracing the origins of materials used, such as paper, colors, sketch pens, and wires.
The investigation is ongoing to track down the absconding kingpin and uncover the full network involved in the counterfeit currency racket.