DUSHANBE, September 18, 2014, Asia-Plus -- An operation carried out by officers from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in the southern Khatlon province has led to the arrest of three local residents – Tohir Boltayev, 27, Bakhtiyor Murchayev, 22, and Faridoun Sanginmurodzoda, 22 -- on suspicion of counterfeiting somoni (TJS) banknotes.

According to the SCNS public relations center, 17,800 counterfeit somoni banknotes in three denominations of TJS200, TJS100 and TJS50 were confiscated from them.

“They were selling the counterfeit somoni banknotes in the city of Qurghon Teppa and the districts of Vakhsh, Bokhtar and Jilikul,” the source said.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against the detained counterfeiters and an investigation is under way.