Police have arrested seven people in Canterbury and Thanet for passing counterfeit money.

The arrests came as part of a clampdown on the use of false money in east Kent over the course of December.

Officers are urging people and businesses to carefully check any notes they receive to avoid being taken in by a fake.

PC Gary Stamp said: “We have received a number of reports in the Thanet and Canterbury areas over the last three weeks where people have tried to use fake notes to pay for goods or have approached members of the public asking them to change counterfeit £20 notes.

“Unfortunately this type of crime does tend to rise during the Christmas period. But these arrests show how seriously we take counterfeit currency offences and should serve as a reminder to criminals that this kind of crime doesn’t pay."

Details of the arrests are:

· On December 6 a 27-year-old man from Birchington was arrested on suspicion of possessing counterfeit currency and a firearm. He has been bailed to February 8.

· On December 14 a 24-year-old man from Westgate-on-Sea was arrested for possessing counterfeit currency. He has been bailed until January 29.

· On December 14 a 31-year-old man from Cliftonville was arrested for fraud and was bailed until January 30.

· On December 17 a 24-year-old from Cliftonville was arrested for possession of counterfeit currency and possessing a class A drug. He has been bailed until February 13.

· A 21-year-old man from Ramsgate was arrested on Tuesday December 20 for possession of counterfeit currency and possession of cannabis. He has been bailed to January 20.

· On December 22 a 42-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman Aylesham area were arrested in Canterbury city centre for possessing counterfeit currency. The man has been bailed to January 23. The woman was released without charge.

Police advise people to check the watermarks in notes they receive and examine the images which should be detailed and contain fine lines. Anyone who thinks they have received a counterfeit note should take it to their nearest police station.