London man charged after police raid ‘workshop printing fake £20 notes’ in Essex
Two men have been charged with making counterfeit £20 notes after police raided a workshop in Essex.
Paul Jones, 49, of Elmington Estate, Camberwell, south London, and Anthony Grimes, 62, of Homemead, Galleywood, near Chelmsford are accused of conspiring to produce a Bank of England currency with intent.
Both are due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Essex Police executed a warrant at a rental industrial unit in Cranfield Park Road, Wickford on April 9.
The force’s Economic Crime Unit launched a joint investigation with the National Crime Agency around intelligence counterfeit £20 notes were being sold on and laundered into profits.
On arrival, officers located printing machinery.
Detective Sergeant Mike Monkton said: “These arrests follow an extensive ongoing investigation in partnership with the National Crime Agency’s Counterfeit Currency Unit.
“The production of counterfeit money is a crime which has a negative impact on our economy, individuals and financially benefits criminals.
“These investigations consist of months of intelligence and hard work from our Economic Crime Unit and we will continue to put this hard work in to ensure that no one in Essex makes a living from criminality.”