The Delhi Police recovered 14.81% more fake Indian currency notes in 2017 compared to 2016, Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik said on Thursday.

On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were no longer legal tender, while citing counterfeit currency as a major reason for the decision.

“Delhi Police launched a drive against fake Indian currency and associated other agencies like the Reserve Bank of India, the customs department and the Intelligence Bureau in this pursuit,” Patnaik said. “During the year 2016, FICN [fake Indian currency notes] worth around Rs 5.74 crore was recovered and 80 cases were registered. During 2017, FICN worth around Rs 6.59 crore was recovered and 46 cases were registered.”

While the Delhi Police did not provide details on the breakdown of recovery of specific currency notes in its annual crime report released on Thursday, at least four major fake currency rackets were busted by them in 2017 in which they had recovered fake Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes worth more than Rs 37 lakh, in all four cases taken together, senior police officials said.