Learning from YouTube, he sells them on Facebook

Twenty-year-old Arif Bapary, a former employee of a printing and stationery shop in Shariatpur, became a professional currency counterfeiter by learning how to produce banknotes by watching videos online.

He saved up money for the necessary tools and materials and eventually formed a gang and started their illegal operation on Facebook, offering counterfeit currency for sale.

Rab said the gang usually charged Tk 10,000-12,000 per Tk 1 lakh in fake notes, but ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, they were planning to hike up the rate to Tk 15,000.

Arif and two of his associates, Jahid and Anik, were arrested by a team of Rab-3 from Naria upazila in Shariatpur last night.

"This gang had separate accounts and pages on Facebook where they would post advertisements for fake notes," said Lt Col Arif Mohiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of Rab-3.

"A week ago, Arif delivered Tk 13 lakh in counterfeit notes to a customer in Dhaka through an online order and made a profit of Tk 1.5 lakh. They planned to circulate Tk 50 lakh worth of fake currency before Eid."

The Rab team seized over Tk 20 lakh in counterfeit notes during the drive.

According to Rab, there are other currency counterfeiters who are active on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Law enforcement officials said they have identified over 50 Facebook users, pages, and groups, where advertisements for fake notes are frequently posted.

These pages and groups include "Jal Taka", "Jal Taka Bikri Kori", "Jal Taka Asol Dealer", "Jal Taka Bikri Kendra", "Jal Takar Babossa", and "A-great Jal note".

On February 28, a fake note seller with Facebook ID "Hasanuzzaman Asad" announced selling fake notes, saying "During months of Ramadan, I am offering the best notes…Those who want to do counterfeit money business, come to the inbox, thank you."

"We have original, glazing print and a perfect product with security thread and watermarks that are almost undetectable with bare eyes," reads a part of another advertisement recently posted on Facebook.

Some fake note sellers online offer cash on delivery, while others demand 50 percent payment in advance. They ask the potential buyers to contact them on Facebook or WhatsApp.

Some also shared screenshots of messages exchanged with other customers and videos of them producing fake notes to convince them.