In a major crackdown, Gujarat police arrested four individuals, including an Australian resident, for their involvement in printing counterfeit Australian dollars at a warehouse in Vatva, Ahmedabad. The arrests have exposed a sophisticated operation using advanced equipment and specialized materials for counterfeiting.
Labourer’s Arrest Leads to Unraveling the Gang
The case came to light when Ronak Rathod, a 24-year-old labourer, was caught attempting to exchange 119 counterfeit Australian $50 notes. During interrogation, Rathod revealed that the fake currency had been provided to him by Khush Patel, also 24. Acting on this information, authorities apprehended Patel, who further implicated Maulik Patel, the alleged mastermind behind the operation.
Maulik Patel, a 36-year-old transport business owner, was identified as the leader of the counterfeiting ring. He collaborated with Dhruv Desai, a 20-year-old student, to manufacture the fake currency at a facility in Vatva. Investigators from the Special Operations Group (SOG) uncovered the printing setup and seized significant evidence from the warehouse.
Seized Items Shed Light on the Operation
Authorities recovered 32 finished counterfeit $50 notes and 18 partially printed sheets. The gang utilized a high-end printing machine valued at ₹9,00,000, along with a desktop computer and a laptop, to produce the fake notes. Additionally, they employed specialized plastic sheets and other materials essential for creating counterfeit currency.
The total value of the seized items amounted to ₹11,92,500. This included seven mobile phones worth ₹2,10,000 and ₹16,500 in Indian currency. Genuine Australian dollars were also found, which police suspect were used as templates during the counterfeiting process.
Authorities on High Alert
This operation is not the first instance of such illegal activity in the region. Last month, police arrested three individuals in Ahmedabad for duping a bullion trader in Navrangpura. The gang had devised a scam involving counterfeit ₹500 notes, cleverly designed with Bollywood actor Anupam Kher’s image replacing Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait. The counterfeit notes were used in a deal for 2,100 grams of gold valued at ₹1.6 crore.
