Britons arrested for distributing counterfeit money

The operation centred on apartments in the Torrenova area where the four are living - "in grand style", according to sources. Aged between 30 and 50, the four are accused of having been introducing forged 20 and 50 euro notes. Examples of these were recently detected in local bars and led to an investigation and the arrests. The notes are said to look totally authentic, but their feel is not; it was this which aroused suspicions.

The four were taken back to their apartments on Tuesday, while police conducted searches. Officers found some 5,000 euros, of which 2,000 euros were certainly fake. The rest of the notes are being analysed.

The police are as yet unsure whether the four are part of a criminal gang for counterfeiting money or are a group of friends who decided to use forged money to fund their time in Majorca. Either way, they were getting authentic money by way of change from the counterfeits.