by Cyril Wimalasurendre

A five-member gang and a haul of forged currency notes to the value of Rs. 650,000, including US dollars were taken into custody yesterday by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Kandy DIG headquarters.

The value of the US dollars had been estimated at Rs. 300,000. The balance was in Sri Lankan Rs. 1,000 denomination, police said.

The raid was conducted following the detection of ten dud notes of the Rs. 1,000 denomination in the possession of one of the suspects who was attempting to encash them at D. S. Senanayake Veediya, police disclosed.

Among the five suspects was a youth out on bail in connection with the production and having in his possession forged currency notes.

Police said that another suspect had earlier been involved in a bank robbery.

A computer and accessories alleged to have been used for printing the dud currency have been taken into custody.

The suspects are from Gampola, Wattegama and Kandy.

Investigations are being conducted by a team of police officer led by IP. D. Gurusinghe, OIC Special Investigations Unit on the directions of DIG, Nimal Mediwake, ASP, Gamini Seneviratne.