John Farrell, 53 of Glasgow, was convicted of forgery and counterfeiting in June 2009, for which he is serving five years and eight months' imprisonment.

At the High Court in Edinburgh this week (18 May) he was issued with a Confiscation Order.

Farrell first appeared on petition at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 7 February 2008 charged with a contravention of the Forgery & Counterfeiting Act.

According to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COFS), which carried the Confiscation Order, Farrell began counterfeiting after his company Electronic Waste Management Solutions, went into administration in 2007.

He used UV fluorescent inks to replicate the security bar of genuine notes and when police raided premises in February 2008 they discovered counterfeit bank notes for Bank of Scotland £20 notes with mixed serial numbers, Royal Bank of Scotland £20 notes and Bank of Scotland £10 notes and Royal Bank of Scotland £10 notes in various stages of completion.

Lesley Thomson, COPFS POCA Champion and Area Procurator Fiscal for Glasgow, said: "Dealing in counterfeit currency is not a victimless crime. It can cause hardship and misery particularly in difficult financial times.

"Working with the police and law enforcement and by using the Proceeds of Crime Act to its full extent, we will continue to seek to recover unlawfully gained cash and assets and put them to good use throughout the communities of Scotland."