A Polish man has been charged after allegedly smuggling 10,656 forged first class stamps into the UK.

Robert Aleksiejczyk, 31, a driver from Salford, Manchester, was searched on February 14 during a routine stop check when he arrived at Dover from France at about 7pm. The UK Border Agency (UKBA) found the stamps in a bag in the boot of his car and referred the matter to Frontier Crime Unit officers to investigate.

The officers took the stamps to the Royal Mail’s technical experts where they were confirmed as forgeries.

Aleksiejczyk was subsequently charged under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act with being in possession of a false instrument and was bailed to appear at Folkestone magistrates’ court on Thursday.