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Dutch police arrest fake ‘Boris Johnson’ for suspected drink-driving Dutch police find fake Boris Johnson licence in car of suspected drunk driver
(30 minutes later)
Ukrainian man’s licence had picture of former UK PM and correct birthdate – but officers did not fall for it Ukrainian man’s licence had picture of former UK PM and correct birth date but officers ‘did not fall’ for it
Dutch police who arrested a man in connection with a drink-driving incident were surprised to find that the name on his driving licence was Boris Johnson. Dutch police who arrested a man in connection with a drunk-driving incident were surprised to see the name on his driving licence was Boris Johnson.
The Ukrainian driver’s fake licence, complete with the former British prime minister’s picture and correct birthdate, was purportedly issued in 2019 and valid until the end of the year 3000. The Ukrainian driver’s fake licence, complete with the former British prime minister’s picture and correct birthdate, was “issued” in 2019 and valid until the end of the year 3000.
A police spokesperson, Thijs Damstra, said officers investigated an incident shortly after midnight on Sunday when a car crashed into a pole near the Emma Bridge in the northern city of Groningen. The car was abandoned but police were later told that the driver was standing on the bridge. Police spokesperson Thijs Damstra said officers investigated an incident shortly after midnight on Sunday when a car crashed into a pole near the Emma Bridge in the northern city of Groningen.
“The person could not identify himself and refused to undertake a breathalyser test,” Damstra said on Monday. The 35-year-old man, from the small town of Zuidhorn, west of Groningen, was arrested and police searched the car. “Inside, police found a fake driver’s licence belonging to Boris Johnson,” Damstra said. The car was abandoned but police were later told that the driver was standing on the bridge.
Groningen police said on their Instagram account: “Unfortunately for this person, we did not fall for his forgery.” “The person could not identify himself and refused to undertake a breathalyser test,” said Damstra on Monday.
Police could not say where the forged document was made, but Kysia Hekster, a former Russia correspondent for the public broadcaster NOS, said fake driving licences could easily be bought in tourist shops in Ukraine. The 35-year-old man, from the small town of Zuidhorn, west of Groningen, was arrested and police searched his car.
Damstra added: “As far as I’m aware, the real Mr Boris Johnson was not in the Netherlands at the time.” “Inside, police found a fake driver’s licence belonging to Boris Johnson,” Damstra said.
“Unfortunately for this person, we did not fall for his forgery,” Groningen police said on its Instagram account.
Police could not say where the forged document was made but public broadcaster NOS journalist and former Russia correspondent Kysia Hekster, in a tweet published by the NOS, said that fake driving licences could easy be bought in tourist shops in Ukraine.
Damstra added, “As far as I’m aware, the real Mr Boris Johnson was not in the Netherlands at the time.”