Video Report: How police busted fake currency note network

KARACHI: Garden police have arrested a suspect involved in circulating counterfeit currency notes and forging official documents after a carefully planned operation, officials said.

According to police, the suspect had been involved in illegal activities dealing in fake currency and forged documents. The case was highlighted in ARY News’ programme “Criminals Most Wanted,” which documented the operation leading to his arrest.

An FIR (No. 430/25) was registered on October 23, 2025, at Garden Police Station under sections 420, 468, 471 and 489-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Police received an intelligence report that a man was openly dealing in counterfeit currency notes. Parallel investigations by the Criminals Most Wanted team revealed that the suspect was also producing forged house allotment orders, fake PIA appointment letters and counterfeit identification cards.

To trap the suspect, police laid a decoy and sent an undercover individual who purchased fake currency notes worth Rs5,000. The suspect boasted that no one could arrest him, insisting the counterfeit notes were indistinguishable from real currency.

Arrest and investigation

Further evidence emerged that the suspect was deceiving an ordinary citizen by promising employment in the police or Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The victim was persuaded to hand over original documents and a cheque worth Rs250,000 after even selling his motorcycle to arrange the money.

Police later raided a hotel and arrested the suspect, identified as Shehzad Ahmed, red-handed. Fake Pakistani currency notes, foreign currency (US dollars), forged cheques and counterfeit documents were recovered from his possession.

Revelations during interrogation

During interrogation, Shehzad Ahmed confessed that he had been involved in the illegal trade for the past three to four years. He disclosed that he used social media videos to lure victims, promising to double their money — offering Rs100,000 in exchange for Rs50,000.

He also admitted to downloading official letters from the internet and editing them to create fake appointment letters. Police said the suspect had defrauded people of millions of rupees.

Police officials described such elements as enemies of the state and urged the public to avoid falling for online job scams.