By ebenezer,

Police in Kasungu are keeping in custody six suspects believed to be part of a syndicate of local and foreign counterfeit currency manufacturing and distribution.

The six suspects were arrested earlier this week in a joint operation by a team comprising of Kasungu Police detectives and Reserve Bank of Malawi investigators.

The bursted syndicate has also exposed the source where the counterfeit currencies both local and foreign were being manufactured.

The arrest of the six suspects comes amid rigorous investigations by Kasungu police detectives and RBM investigators which was insitituted after police in the district on September 8 nabbed a man identified as Filodi Goodson aged 35 for being found in possession of a bunch of K320,000 in K2000 fake banknotes all bearing one serial number AT4426785.

Following the joint investigative operation that followed, six suspect have been nabbed and in the process recovering 994 pieces of counterfeit notes in 100 US Dollars amounting to $99,400.

The suspects are identified as: Dave Shumba, 42, of Mwinama village, TA Chilowoko in Ntchisi, Gerald Banda, 45, of Chikhombo village, TA Pitala in Mchinji, Ibrahim Makina, 41, of Yasini village, TA Chikowi in Zomba.

The others are Lameck Banda, 43, of Yamwala village, TA Wimbe in Kasungu, Alick Tchuma, 54, of Phuka village, TA Kwataine in Ntcheu and Martha Nyirenda, 30, of Chapuwala village, TA Chakhaza in Dowa.

In the course of the joint investigative operation, the officers also confisticated a Dell monitor, two colour printers (HP and Canon), Dell CPU which were used in the manufacturing of the counterfeit currencies in area 23 at the house of Dave Shumba.

According RBM Senior Investigator, Emmanuel Malasa, the serial number which the fake bank notes bear is the same to that on the fake bank notes that were earlier recovered in Kasungu, Mangochi and Mponela.

The suspects will appear in court on Monday to answer charges that have been levelled against them.