KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian police busted a syndicate involved in the distribution of counterfeit notes, believed to be the largest in the country, with the arrest of 3 foreigners and seizure of about 17.4 million rupee (441,176 U.S. dollars).

    The seizure was made at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, said Hamzah Jamil, assistant director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department on Friday.

    "The money, comprising 8,458 pieces of 1,000 rupee and 17,741 pieces of 500 rupee, was found in 9 bags which had been modified with special compartments," the national news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.

    Investigation found that the suspects had entered the country separately between June 19 and 26 using international passports, according to Hamzah.

    "They are in remand until July 17 to assist police in the probe into the case," he added.

    Last year, police seized counterfeit rupee valued at 30,000 ringgit (8,824 U.S. dollars), he said.