The man tried to walk across one of Europe's biggest mountain ranges
A French man has been rescued after he attempted to cross the Spanish border in order to get his hands on cheap cigarettes.
The man tried to drive across the border on Saturday but was stopped at a police checkpoint.
He then attempted to trek across the Pyrenees Mountains on foot but had an accident that stopped him in his tracks.
The DailyMail reported that the man lost his footing and fell into a stream.
Local authorities were called and a helicopter rescued the man from the mountain range.
The mountain rescue claim the man was "shivering and exhausted" when they found him.
He was €135 for breaking social distancing laws and movement restrictions.
A statement from France's Pyrenees High Mountain Police said:
"Looks like the message didn't get through properly.
"We took part in a rescue with a helicopter from Perpignan in order to go get an exhausted, very cold and lost individual off the heights above Le Perthus.
'This young man, left Perpignan by car, was sent back by the control stations between France and Spain when he wanted to go to Le Jonquera.
"He then decided to take a hiking path, hoping to cross the border through the mountain.
"He fell into a creek, got out again, got lost and then ended up contacting mountain rescue with an SOS using his phone".
