A MAN has been removed from the UK after attempting to use a forged Lithuanian passport to cheat his way past border control at Plymouth port.

He was caught when he couldn't understand the Lithuanian translator provided for him.

The 32-year-old man arrived at Plymouth on the 6pm passenger ferry from Roscoff last Friday.

He presented a Lithuanian passport to UK Border Agency officers at the port, claiming he was en route to Ireland where he was visiting a friend in Dublin.

After examining the man’s passport, immigration officers immediately doubted that it was genuine and interviewed the man further.

Questioning via a Lithuanian-speaking interpreter revealed the man had no understanding of the language and was in fact likely to be from Russia.

A genuine Lithuanian citizen would have been allowed to enter the UK on a passport without needing a visa.

The man was also unable to provide an address for his destination in Ireland, contact details for the friend he claimed to be meeting there, or evidence of further travel arrangements.

Officers refused the man entry to the UK, detained him at the port and returned him back to France on the next ferry to Roscoff at 10pm.

Carole Upshall, Regional Director for Border Force South, UK Border Agency, said: “This is a good example of how some individuals try to cheat their way into the country rather than come here by legitimate means.

“It shows that as well as being skilled in spotting forged passports, our immigration officers are also extremely skilful at interviewing suspicious passengers who try to circumvent UK border controls at our ports.

“The UK Border Agency is working hard to combat illegal immigration. Last year we removed a person every eight minutes.”

The Government is currently introducing sweeping changes to the UK’s border security.

Earlier this year, the UK Border Agency was launched, establishing a single force to protect our borders, control migration for the benefit of the country, prevent border tax fraud, smuggling and immigration crime and make fast and fair decisions on asylum claims.

UK Border Agency officers are also stationed at other locations around the globe.

The new £1.2bn e-borders system means that airlines and other carriers are now beginning to pass on the names of their passengers to the UK Border Agency.

The Government recently introduced an Australian-style points-based system for managing migration, ensuring only those with the skills the UK needs are allowed to work.

ID Cards for foreign nationals living in the UK are also currently being rolled out