On Saturday, April 25, border guards in Augšdaugava Municipality detained one Latvian citizen for transporting persons who had illegally crossed the State border and prevented five persons from illegally crossing the State border.
Border guards stopped a Volvo vehicle for inspection on a road in Laucesa Parish, Augšdaugava Municipality. During the inspection of the vehicle, it was established that five persons of Asian origin were inside the car without valid travel documents, visas, or residence permits.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against the “carriers” under Section 285¹, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law for knowingly providing a person with the opportunity to illegally reside in the Republic of Latvia, if committed for financial gain or if such an opportunity has been provided to two or more persons.
5 persons were prevented from illegally crossing the State border in accordance with Article 4 of the State Border Guard Law.
It has already been reported that on Thursday evening and Friday morning of last week, within a 24-hour period, border guards, in cooperation with officials of the State Police, detained three persons in Augšdaugava, Rēzekne, and Krāslava Municipalities for transporting persons who had illegally crossed the State border, and prevented 17 persons from illegally crossing the State border.
The State Border Guard once again calls on residents not to engage in illegal activities and reminds that severe penalties are prescribed for such involvement. For organizing or supporting the illegal transportation of persons, offenders may be punished with imprisonment for a term of two to ten years, with or without confiscation of property, and with probation supervision for a period of up to three years or without it.