Detectives from the Metropolitan police have arrested three men after seizing a record haul of £4.1 million in counterfeit coins.
An estimated £4 million worth of blank coins were discovered within a 40 foot freight container with another £107,000 in counterfeits also found following raids on three properties in Enfield, Harts and Essex and two vehicles on Wednesday.
Some fake money is thought to have already been passed on and may be in circulation.
The men have been arrested in connection with the investigation and are currently being held at a north London police station on suspicion of offences such as production of counterfeit monies, money laundering and fraud.
DI Bruce South, projects team, says: "This seizure is a significant blow to the network behind it; individuals clearly intent on undermining the UK monetary system by producing counterfeit currency on an industrial scale."