AHMEDABAD: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetization on November 8, 2016, of his stated intentions for the move was to attack counterfeit notes. However, the rate of seizures of fake currency notes across the country has remained the same, even after Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were declared illegal. The model state of Gujarat had the most seizures of Rs 2,000 notes after demonetization, figures from the ministry of home affairs (MHA) have revealed.According to the Union home ministry figures, 40% of the fake Rs 2,000 notes seized, were seized in Gujarat. Across the entire country, Rs 66,92,000 in fake Rs 2000 notes has been seized and Gujarat accounted Rs 26, 42,000 of this, between November 9, 2016 and March 7, 2017.In Gujarat, some 1,321 counterfeit Rs 2,000 notes were seized by police while the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) caught two. Three FIRS were registered and 12 persons were accused of circulating counterfeit currency notes, the highest number in the country. A total of 64 persons have been booked in the entire country.Senior police officials said Gujarat has always been a hotbed for circulation of fake currency notes, due to the high level of trading activities. Currency notes are usually introduced into the state’s economy by operators from West Bengal or Bangladesh.“Many of the accused caught in fake currency rackets come from Malda district or other parts of West Bengal and from Bangladesh. These currency notes are usually routed to the large cities of Gujarat, apart from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad,” said officials.A large number of fake currency rackets have been busted in Gujarat due to public awareness and the alertness of the police, officials claimed.In some of these fake currency seizures, the notes were suspected to have been printed in Ahmedabad as well, officials said.