New Delhi, May 19 : Pakistanâ??s ISI and its stooges have been making a massive push to flood the Indian markets with fake currency, the agencies have learnt.

The key areas of concern remain the Tripura-Bangladesh border and Punjab.

While couriers are being used to push fake currency into the Indian market along the Bangladesh border, in Punjab, the menace is rising due to the use of drones.

It is a two-pronged strategy that the ISI has adopted when it comes to fake Indian currency. On one hand, it wants to hurt the Indian economy, and on the other, the intention is to raise funds for terror groups in Pakistan, an official said. The problem is, however, higher along the India-Bangladesh border when compared to Punjab, an official said.

Agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA, which is at the forefront of battling this problem, have also been probing cases within the country. The NIA is not only trying to stop the menace at the border, but is also probing several cases within West Bengal. The area of focus in the state has remained Malda, where scores of units that print fake currency have come up.

An Intelligence Bureau official said the ISI would eventually move to using drones to drop off fake currency. Almost all attempts that have been made to drop fake Indian currency using drones have been foiled so far.

The official, however, added that it is not the time to remain complicit, as these attempts may be just dry runs. These elements are trying to study the security apparatus and hence are undertaking dry runs.

Fake currency that has been coming in is in lower quantities. Once they are able to dodge the security mechanism, these elements would look to push in fake currency using drones in much larger numbers, the official further added.

Another official said the main focus would first be to shut down fake currency printing units in West Bengal. Once the Malda module is shut down, it would solve a large part of the problem.

The focus could then shift to the borders through which fake currency is being smuggled into the country, the official added. Officials say that the ISI is aware that the main focus would be on the couriers who carry the fake currency.

With the NIA upping the ante, the ISI would move completely towards the drone module to send fake currency to India, officials also said.

Investigators who are dealing with the menace say the challenge would be immense going forward. The choice of drones to further this racket will be a big test for the security agencies. The border forces have been successful in tracking drones that have been used to drop off drugs, arms and ammunition. However, fake currency would be a real test.

Smaller payloads of fake currency are harder to detect. These drones carrying smaller payloads are capable of evading the radar and also dodging surveillance, an official said.

The ISI-backed elements are trying to utilise every loophole within the system to drop fake currency into India. Currently, this modus operandi is in testing mode. Once all tests are conducted and multiple dry runs are attempted, then these elements will go in for the big operation. This would involve using multiple drones at regular intervals. However, the payload would be smaller as this would help in avoiding detection, the official added.

The agencies are bracing up for this new modus operandi, and it would be crucial to get the better of these elements.

The ISI has long pushed fake currency into India using the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate, with the clear intention of undertaking economic sabotage in India, apart from also using the money generated to fund terror groups, officials say.

/IANS