Central bank: number of counterfeit banknotes doubles in first half of 2010

The number of counterfeit banknotes intercepted by the Czech National Bank doubled over the first six months of this year, according to a report by the bank released on Sunday. The central bank intercepted over 3660 counterfeit and altered banknotes, compared to around 1700 forged legal tenders intercepted in the same period last year. Most counterfeit banknotes were Czech crowns, followed by the dollar and the euro. The central bank also registered an increase in the number of imitations that are used in advertising, as film props or for instruction purposes.