Five people in Dunedin are facing charges after authorities broke up a counterfeiting ring.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, a six-month investigation resulted in the arrests of four people passing counterfeit bills and a 24-year-old man named as the source of the fake bills.

Jose Carlos Rodriguez was taken into custody Wednesday at his San Christopher Drive home in Dunedin. Agents with the county's Economic Crimes Unit said Rodriguez, who was charged with uttering forged bills, had counterfeit bills in his home, along with cocaine, marijuana and a laptop possibly used to design fake bills.

More charges are pending.

Rodriguez was targeted as the source of the bills after four suspects were arrested between August and this week while trying to pass the bills.    

In August, deputies arrested a 17-year-old for using the phony money. Under Bay News 9's crime guidelines, the teen is not being named unless he is charged as an adult. Days later,  50-year-old Gina V. Norman was nabbed with counterfeit bills.

In December, deputies arrested Joseph Samson, 32, for the same charge. Deputies say the three people were arrested independently of each other after each passed counterfeit cash at Pinellas County businesses.

This month, detectives arrested 20-year-old Briana Wilson had passed counterfeit money at the Oasis Mini-Mart located at 1401 Pinehurst Drive in Dunedin. All of the suspects have also been charged with uttering a forged bill.

The arrests led authorities to Rodriguez.