Police arrested four persons belonging to Murshidabad district of West Bengal and seized fake Indian currency with a face value of Rs 1,20,500 from them.
Police said the accused had obtained the counterfeit notes from a person, Nazurul Islam, of Murshidabad who had allegedly procured them from Pakistan.
While Ansarul Shaik (22), Jiyarul Shaik (26), Ahakamal Islam (23) and Mottakul Islam (23) were arrested from a lodge here on a tip-off, Nazurul, believed to be the kingpin of the gang, is absconding, they said.
"The four accused connived with Nazurul Islam and obtained the Pakistan-made counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs 1.8 lakh in Kolkata and came to Visakhapatnam on November 11. They had been staying here at a lodge," Additional DCP (Crime) S Varada Raju told a press conference.
The fake currency seized from them was in the denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, he said.
Police said Malda and Murshidabad districts in West Bengal are hotbed for the fake currency trade. The currency is smuggled from these districts to coastal Andhra Pradesh.
