PESHAWAR, Dec 5: The Peshawar city has become a hub for people dealing in fake currency.

According to official figures, 54 cases pertaining to fake currency were registered at different police stations in the city during the past six months and 72 people allegedly involved in the business were arrested.

An amount of Rs1,835,635 was seized from the arrested people and they were booked under Section 489-b of the Pakistan Penal Code.

When contacted, the Sarband police, who had recently arrested Khiyal Jan of Bara and seized Rs35,000 from him, said most of the people they had arrested were from Punjab.

It is learnt that most of fake currency notes in circulation are of Rs500 and Rs1,000 denominations, which are nearly similar to original notes and can be distinguished only by a few marks.

According to police, the fake currency is prepared in tribal areas of Darra Adamkhel and Bara. “Use of fake currency in the city has become common, creating great problems for the business community” said a tailor, Hameedullah.

Meanwhile, police on Wednesday claimed to have busted different gangs of anti-social elements and arrested 40 people.

The arrested people included Abdullah of Garhi Qamardin, Ghulam Ali of Landi Kotal, Sarmast and Aaqil Khan of Nasir Bagh, Hameedullah of Malakand Dheri, Akhtar Shah of Mandani, Javaid of Charsadda, Sajjad and Wali Mohammad of Nahqai.