Kasargod :  Counterfeit currency notes worth Rs 9.75 lakh was seized from a passenger by officials at  Kochi Airport on January 26.

A person identified as Abid (34) from Mallapuram has been arrested. Officials found 1950 currency notes of Rs 500 denominations with him.

Interrogations of the accused revealed that the counterfeit currency was printed in Pakistan and one Salam from Kasargod was the mastermind.

It was also found that Abid was in possession of more than one passport. It is learnt, he met the prime accused Salam in Jeddah  and the latter reportedly promised to pay Rs 50,000 to Salam once he  delivered the fake notes to Kasargod.

He is learnt to have concealed the counterfeit currency beneath clothes in his baggage.