Man charged after £50,000 in counterfeit notes seized during a vehicle stop near Penrith

A man has been charged after police found around £50,000 in counterfeit money during a vehicle stop near Penrith on Wednesday (18th February).

John McDonnell, 27, of Winchelsea Close, Sussex has been charged with three offences under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act.

He appeared before Barrow Magistrates Court on Friday (20th February) and the case has been sent to Carlisle Crown Court.

Following his arrest Police seized the McDonnell’s vehicle

Neil Harris, Head of the National Counterfeit Currency Unit (UKNCO) at the National Crime Agency (NCA), said: “This arrest by Cumbria Police has prevented these counterfeit bank notes from entering circulation and I am most grateful to the CID at Kendal for the prompt and decisive way in which the case was investigated.

“We are seeing counterfeit bank notes being sold online and marketed on social media as ‘prop notes’. The notes sold as ‘prop notes’ are counterfeit and to possess, sell or use them as payment are criminal offences.

“We see foil stickers added to these counterfeit notes to conceal the ‘prop notes’ text, and these foil stickers are also illegal to possess, buy or sell."

Mr Harris added: "There are simple checks you can make to identify a counterfeit bank note by checking the holographic foil strip – on a genuine note the wording in this strip will change from the value of the note to ‘pounds’, for example from ‘twenty’ to ‘pounds’, but on a counterfeit note, this word is fixed."

You can also check the name of the bank – on a genuine note this wording will be raised but a counterfeit one will be smooth to touch.

Further information on how to check Bank of England notes can be found at the following links: -

Key security features £20 note: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/polymer-20-pound-note

Key security features £10 note: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/polymer-10-pound-note

How to check all Bank of England polymer notes: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/counterfeit-banknotes/how-to-check-your-banknotes

If you have information about people supplying, selling, using counterfeit bank notes please contact Cumbria Police via our website at www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it or by calling 101.

Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/pre-form