Planned on flooding the country with millions of fake pound coins

A trio of counterfeiters who had planned on flooding the country with millions of fake pound coins have today (21 May) been jailed at Southwark Crown Court following a successful investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Special Project Team.

[A] Kevin Fisher (21.7.59 – 53 ys), of St Georges, Rags Lane, Goffs Oak, Hertfordshire and [C] Daniel Sullivan ( 11.7.84 -28yrs) of Bancroft Chase, Hornchurch were convicted following a 10 day trial on 21st April. Fisher described as the main instigator, was sentenced to 5 years for possession of counterfeit currency and 7 years for possession of items to make counterfeit currency to run concurrently. Sullivan was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Their co-conspirator [B] Mark Abbott (20.11.68 – 44 yrs) of Cedars Park Drive, Edmonton pleaded guilty at an earlier trial and was sentenced to two years.

The prolific fraudsters were responsible for producing what is believed to have been a record number of counterfeit coins seized in the UK. The fake coins were discovered following a covert policing operation on 23 May 2012 at three addresses in Enfield, Hertfordshire and Essex. A 40ft storage container found in Waltham Abbey, Essex contained in excess of 1,600,000 (one million six hundred thousand) metal discs, together with £20,000 worth of fake coins. A car at the same location was found to contain £30,000 worth of fake coins.

Officers believe this was the tip of the iceberg for the well organised operation, whose fakes were of such high quality ,they could easily be passed off as genuine coins. It is believed that some of the fake currency may well have already been passed on and be in circulation.

Detective Inspector Bruce South of Special Projects Team said “These three men are organised criminals who were intent on undermining the UK monetary system. There is nothing fake about the reality they must now face of life behind bars. We remain steadfast in our determination disrupt and tackle organised criminal networks”.