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An alleged drug dealer in Copenhagen received an unwanted surprise for Christmas when he jumped into the back of a taxi with about 1,000 joints on him, only to find it was a police car.

Danish police said the man was rushing home when he made the grave error.

The mistake occurred in Christiania, a semi-autonomous district of the capital founded by hippies in the 1970s and known as a centre for the drug trade.

Police said the man could face a custodial sentence.

The full statement from the force earlier in the week read: "Last night a cannabis dealer from Christiania who wanted to get home quickly got into a taxi. He received a big surprise when he realised it was actually a police car he was sitting in.

"The police officers were happy to see him, since he was carrying around 1,000 joints."

Cannabis is illegal in Denmark, with prohibitions on dealing and possession.

Police have carried out a number of raids in the Christiania district in recent months, mostly seeking out drug dealers rather than the other way around.