A citizen of Ivory Coast in western Africa was caught red-handed trying to sell off fake Indian currency notes in southern Bengaluru, police said.
Lamen, 43, was nabbed from near Karmika Bhavan, off Dairy Circle, Hosur Road, around 6 pm on August 4. He carried a bag containing 70 photocopies of 500-rupee notes and 39 black paper bundles, said Abraham J M, sub-inspector from the jurisdictional Siddapura police station.
He was allegedly trying to sell off the notes to passersby at half price: Rs 1 crore worth of counterfeit bills for Rs 50 lakh in genuine notes. The counterfeit notes were nothing but colour photocopies of an original Rs 500 note bearing serial number 1BG 004243.
Police have discovered that Lamen came to Delhi on a tourist visa, which is valid until November. He arrived in Bengaluru a few days ago and stayed in different places, the latest being Banaswadi.
Police have seized his visa and the passport, and registered a case against him over the fake notes.