Police warn of increased circulation of forged currency notes during holiday season

Police are warning the public to be cautious regarding the circulation of forged currency notes during the holiday season. 

Issuing a media release, Police Headquarters states that during the past few weeks, several police stations have conducted raids on locations in Kirulapana, Padukka, Kalutara and Rangala areas where forged currency notes were being printed, arresting several suspects. Police also seized forged currency notes in the Rs. 5000 and Rs. 1000 demoninations along with computers and other equipment used to print forged currency notes. 

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is currently carrying out further investigations into these incidents. 

Police said it has also come to light that fraudsters are using various tactics during the holiday season to put these high value forged currency notes into circulation. 

As such, both traders and members of the public are being urged to be extra cautious when making payments and changing money during transactions in the holiday season as there is more chance of forged currency notes coming into circulation at such times. 

Accordingly, police are urging traders and the public to pay special attention to the security features of currency notes, such as the watermark, texture of the printed note, security thread and colour of the note.

If members of the public come across any suspicious persons who they believe might be trying to use forged currency notes, they are urged to notify 119 hotline or the nearest police station.