Over the weekend, on June 5 and 6, in Ludza Municipality, border guards, in cooperation with servicemen of the National Armed Forces and officials of the State Police, detained four persons for transporting persons who had illegally crossed the State border.
On Friday, June 5, while checking information received from a local resident about suspicious persons, border guards in Lauderi Parish attempted to stop a Chrysler vehicle for inspection. However, the driver failed to comply with the lawful order to stop the vehicle. Border guards immediately began a pursuit and subsequently stopped the vehicle. It was established that the vehicle was being driven by a Ukrainian citizen. Inside the vehicle were nine persons of Asian origin who did not possess valid travel documents, visas, or residence permits and who had previously crossed the Belarus–Latvia border illegally.
Later on the same evening, servicemen of the National Armed Forces stopped a Volvo vehicle in Zaļesje Parish. The vehicle was driven by a Lithuanian citizen. Upon inspecting the vehicle, officials found three persons of Asian origin inside who did not possess valid travel documents, visas, or residence permits and who had previously crossed the Belarus–Latvia border illegally.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, June 6, State Police officials stopped a BMW vehicle for inspection in Lauderi Parish. The vehicle was driven by a Polish citizen, and the passenger in the front seat was an accomplice, also a Polish citizen. Upon inspecting the vehicle, officials found four persons of Asian origin in the passenger compartment and luggage compartment who did not possess valid travel documents, visas, or residence permits and who had previously crossed the Belarus–Latvia border illegally.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the “carriers” under Section 285, Paragraph 3¹ of the Criminal Law for the illegal transportation of persons across the State border, if committed during the enhanced border surveillance regime or during a State of emergency declared due to a threat to the inviolability of the State border, regardless of where in the territory of Latvia the offense was committed.
16 persons were prevented from illegally crossing the State border in accordance with Section 4 of the State Border Guard Law.
Since August 11, 2021, an enhanced border surveillance regime has been in force in certain administrative territories of Latvia. Under this regime, the National Armed Forces and the State Police provide support to the State Border Guard in ensuring surveillance of the Latvia–Belarus border in order to prevent illegal border crossings.
The vigilance of local residents and the timely provision of information about suspicious activities in border areas also play a significant role in strengthening State border security. We express our gratitude to residents who support border guards by reporting suspicious persons and vehicles.
In cases where residents observe persons or groups of persons who are not characteristic of the ethnic and national composition of the Republic of Latvia (their appearance indicates that they may be third-country nationals), they are urged to immediately inform officials of the State Border Guard or the State Police by using the unified emergency telephone number 112 (available 24 hours a day) or by contacting the operational duty officer of the Daugavpils Board of the State Border Guard at telephone number 65403777, mobile number 22020361, or email: dap.od@rs.gov.lv.
This year, the State Border Guard has already initiated 64 criminal proceedings (19 of which were separated from previously initiated criminal cases) against 52 persons for the illegal transportation of persons and/or facilitating the illegal stay of persons in Latvia.