RAWALPINDI, Jan 8: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has foiled an attempt to smuggle fake currency notes from tribal areas to the Punjab and arrested two persons.

This was disclosed by Rai Muhammad Altaf, the deputy director (crime wing), FIA, while speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said the efforts were afoot to trace the main culprits. He said Muhammad Iqbal and Khizer Hayat of Mandi Bahauddin were arrested from Attock Khurd checkpost and a car (LXN-9212) impounded while they were trying to smuggle fake currency notes worth Rs55,500 to the Punjab on January 4. The FIA raiding party consisted of Assistant Director Malik Sarfraz Ali Khan and Sub Inspector Muhammad Nawaz Gondal.

The official said the accused purchased the currency from Dera Adam Khel after making a payment of Rs12,000. The accused used to make payments through fake currency to the villagers in remote areas, he added.

The police has recovered one note of Rs1000, 99 notes of Rs500 and 500 notes of Rs10 from the culprits, the official said, adding that the notes had been printed on the genuine imported paper, which was the property of the State Bank of Pakistan.

To a question, he said there were same numbers on a number of notes while there were no numbers on some of the fake currency notes.

The investigations are in progress and if some tribal men are found involved, they would be arrested through the Political Agent, he concluded.—APP