Former border guard accused of taking bribes from freight company

The Internal Security Bureau (IDB) has completed its investigation and forwarded a criminal case to the prosecutor's office against a former State Border Guard official for bribery, and against three private individuals for offering bribes as an organized group.

Pre-trial investigation gathered evidence that the border guard, while still in service, accepted money from representatives of a freight transport company to facilitate the crossing of the Latvia–Russia border for trucks, bypassing the official queue at the border checkpoint.

The prosecutor's office has been asked to initiate criminal prosecution under Section 320, Clause 2 of the Criminal Law, which carries a penalty of up to eight years in prison, confiscation of property or without, and restriction of rights for up to five years. Meanwhile, prosecution is sought for the three individuals under Section 323, Clause 3 of the Criminal Law for organized group bribery, punishable by two to ten years in prison, confiscation of property, restriction of professional or official rights for up to five years, and probation supervision for up to three years.

The IDB reminds that no person is considered guilty until proven guilty in accordance with the law.