BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China's anti-illegal publications authorities are ordering a nationwide crackdown on "toy money" with cartoon pictures mainly sold to minors at book stores or stands near schools, Wednesday's Beijing News reported.

    The toy-like Chinese "money", about the same size and pattern as the real money, has cartoon pictures familiar to children, such as Disney's Winnie the Pooh, and is selling well in shops near schools across China.

    Tuesday's Chongqing Economic Times reported that such "money" is sold at 0.25 RMB (0.036 U.S. dollars) per piece in southwestern Chongqing Municipality. Face value of the "money" cover all currently circulating RMB from 100 to 0.5.

    Similar "toy money" is also on sale in northern Tianjing Municipality, eastern Jiangsu Province, and southwestern Sichuan Province, local media reported this week.

    The National Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Publications Office on Friday ordered its branches across the country to confiscate the "toy money".

    According to China's regulation on the usage of Renminbi (RMB) patterns, any use of RMB pattern needs approval from the People's Bank of China, the central bank.

    The office said it would also search for the sources of these products, punish the makers and vendors, and turn those suspected of crimes over to police.

    Tip-offs on the office's public hotline claim that some of the products are made in Yiwu City of eastern Zhejiang Province which has made its name for producing and trading items like earrings, bracelets, stockings, and other accessories.