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A Northern Ireland man was part of a failed attempt to bring 450,000 counterfeit £1 coins into the UK from the Netherlands, a court has heard.

Edward Magill is accused of conspiring with lorry driver William Turnbull over the plot in 2012. Jurors heard claims yesterday the 55-year-old, from Poyntzpass, Co Armagh , had made arrangements for the coins, which were manufactured in Amsterdam, to be transported by Mr Turnbull into the UK.

But the court was told the alleged plot was foiled when the driver’s flat-bed trailer was stopped by border control at the North Shields ferry terminal in North-East England. When officers searched the vehicle they found three pallets, each filled with six barrels of metal car washers.

Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey said: “The washers were effectively a veneer, under which was a substantial quantity of counterfeit coins.” He added that after the fake currency was discovered, Turnbull was convicted for his part in its attempted importation into the UK.

Magill denies conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of counterfeit currency. Mr Mullarkey said the defendant had been involved in arranging the collection of the fake money, while Turnbull’s role was simply to collect and deliver it.

The trial continues.

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