Three men from Galway have been arrested in the UK for their involvement in a counterfeit £20 note scam. The arrests occurred on Tuesday, January 21, when officers stopped a vehicle in West Yorkshire.
Patrick Ward (22) from Coole Park and Jason Ward (19) from Radharc Na Freine face charges related to possessing or controlling counterfeit currency, knowing its true nature. They are scheduled to appear at Leeds Crown Court on February 21 after being remanded in custody.
A third individual, William Browne (19) from St Finbars Terrace, Bothermore, also faces similar charges but has been released on bail and will appear in court on the same date.
Following the arrests, police issued a warning to retailers in West Yorkshire to remain vigilant, as counterfeit Scottish £20 notes have been circulating in the area. Investigators identified fake Clydesdale Bank £20 notes being used in transactions where items were bought and later returned for genuine cash at different stores.
The police investigation spans Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield, and Chesterfield. Detective Sergeant Craig Twycross from Wakefield CID urged shop staff to familiarize themselves with the security features of legitimate banknotes to avoid falling victim to fraud.
“Retailers should thoroughly check notes and, if in doubt, compare them with a known genuine note,” said Twycross.
Neil Harris, Head of the National Counterfeit Currency Unit, emphasized that counterfeit £20 notes may appear convincing, with a hologram that can be misleading. “Staff should check the colour-changing ink in the map of Scotland in the top left corner and feel for the raised print, including on the bank’s name,” he advised.
Police are urging anyone with information or who has encountered counterfeit notes to report it via the West Yorkshire Police website’s LiveChat service.
