FAKE CASH IN WIGAN
Officers seized £120 in counterfeit £20 notes from a house on Newman Avenue in Springfield on 9 August 2009.
This followed an incident on 30 May 2009 when a man tried to exchange £500 worth of forged currency for US dollars from the Thomas Cook travel agents in Ashton-in-Makerfield.
The cashier realised it was fake and reported the matter to police.
Officers in Wigan are now urging retailers to be on their guard as the notes do look authentic, although the watermarks are in a different place and the metal strips are also false.
All the notes seized had the serial numbers BB60 882102.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing counterfeit currency and has been bailed pending further inquiries.
Police Constable Mark Mangnall said: "We believe there is a lot of this currency being passed around Wigan.
"Businesses can be left severely out of pocket if they accept this forged currency and we do not want to allow people to profit from using counterfeit cash, so I would urge retailers to be on their guard when accepting money.
"Luckily, it was light in the travel agents but in other dark places such as small bars or poorly lit shops, these notes may slip through the net. I would ask that retailers and shopworkers take a second or so to check the cash is authentic and if you suspect someone is trying to use forged cash, call us immediately."
Anyone with information is asked to call Greater Manchester Police on 0161 872 5050 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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