LAGOS, Oct 10, 2008 (AFP) - Nigeria's post office intercepted between July and September 500 million dollars in fake cheques and foreign currency in mail from the West African country notorious for scams, an official said Friday.

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, spokesman for the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) said the counterfeits were discovered during electronic scans of mail posted to foreign operators providing goods to Nigerians.

He told AFP that 55 billion naira worth of cheques and notes were 'intercepted in various currencies including euros, dollars and travellers cheques'.

This is one of the biggest hauls ever in Nigeria, thanks to technological aid from Britain.

Oil-rich Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is notorious for scams, ranging from emails and bank notes to fake pharmaceutical drugs.

Along with the country's anti-corruption agency and Interpol, NIPOST was working to 'find out the people behind these fraudulent activities', he added.

Around two dozen fake diplomatic passports were also discovered during the routine searches over the same period.