Another migrant-smuggling driver detained in Krāslava district

On Tuesday, August 18, soldiers of the National Armed Forces stopped a Volvo car on a road in the Robežnieki parish of Krāslava district. The vehicle was driven by a non-citizen of Latvia. During the inspection, officers found five people hidden in the car's interior and trunk who lacked valid travel documents, visas or residence permits. It was established that these individuals had previously crossed the Belarus-Latvia border illegally.

A criminal case has been opened against the driver under Section 285, Part 3.1 of the Criminal Law, which covers the illegal transport of persons across the state border during a period of enhanced border-guard measures or a state of emergency declared due to a threat to border security. The five detained individuals were prevented from illegally crossing the border, in line with Section 4 of the State Border Guard Law.

Wider context

The State Border Guard reports that this year it has already opened 125 criminal cases related to the illegal transport of persons across the border and/or providing conditions for people to stay in Latvia illegally. Of these, 46 were separated out from previously opened cases, with proceedings directed against a total of 101 individuals.

Since August 10, Latvia has been running operation "Vilkatis," a set of measures aimed at curbing illegal migration. Through cross-agency cooperation, the operation seeks to significantly reduce the number of illegal border crossings in the eastern part of the country and prevent such incidents in the future.