Officials of the State Border Guard, in cooperation with officials of the State Security Service, detected the committing of a possible criminal offence related to illegal migration. At the beginning of August this year, officials of the State Border Guard initiated criminal proceedings against an interpreter who providing a possibility of illegally staying in the Republic of Latvia for groups of persons illegally crossed the Belarus-Latvia border.
On Friday, August 6, State Border Guard officers, checking the entry and stay conditions of foreigners, detected four Iraqi citizens illegally crossed the state border, while during the investigation, border guards found out that these border violators has been provided with a possibility of illegally staying in the Republic of Latvia by a person who has previously provided the services of an interpreter several times within criminal proceedings of the State Border Guard, in the framework of which criminal offenses related to illegal migration have been investigated.
The investigation also revealed that this person provided nine more Iraqi citizens, who had illegally crossed the border, with a possibility of illegally staying in Latvia in June of this year.
During interpreting, when communicating with persons involved in criminal activities, the interpreter was involved in criminal activities carried out by a transnational organised criminal group, which provides Iraqi citizens with a possibility of illegally crossing the Belarus-Latvia border.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against Iraqi citizens under Section 284, Paragraph two of the Criminal Law for illegal crossing of the state border in a group of persons, and against the interpreter under Section 285.1, Paragraph two of the Criminal Law for knowingly ensuring persons the possibility to reside illegally in the Republic of Latvia, if such possibility is ensured for several persons
According to the Border Guard, in August, four Iraqi citizens were allegedly able to cross the border and illegally stay in Latvia with the help of an interpreter employed by the State Border Guard. The investigation also shows that this person provided nine Iraqi citizens with the possibility of illegally staying in Latvia in June of this year.
Regarding the committing of a criminal offence, the Law provides for a punishment for the interpreter - the deprivation of liberty for a period of up to four years or temporary deprivation of liberty, or community service, or a fine, with the deprivation of the right to take up a specific office for a period of up to five years and with or without confiscation of property.