From October 20 to 31, 2025, the State Border Guard of Latvia participated in the Joint Action Days “MOBILE 8” (hereafter - the Operation), organized within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).
The Operation was coordinated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (hereafter – Frontex Agency), in cooperation with Europol and Interpol, and involved border guard, police and customs authorities from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland, as well as from the third countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Moldova.
The aim of the Operation was to support national authorities in detecting, preventing and fighting cross-border crime, focusing on stolen vehicles, their parts, boats, and engines, forged and fraudulent documents and as well as illegal migration and human smuggling. It also targeted other forms of cross-border crime, such as smuggling of weapons, drugs and goods. The Operation improved cooperation and information exchange between border guards, police and customs to disrupt organized crime groups and strengthen practical cooperation between EU Member States, Frontex, Europol, and Interpol.
Special attention was paid to collecting and sharing intelligence, checking data against EU, Frontex Agency, Europol and Interpol databases and operational cooperation at border crossing points. A coordination center was set up at Frontex Agency headquarters in Warsaw (Poland) with representatives from Member States and partner organizations, including a Latvian Border Guard officer who coordinated Latvia’s participation.
During the Operation, the State Border Guard of Latvia, together with the State Police of Latvia, carried out enhanced checks at Latvia’s external land and sea borders — inspecting vehicles, vessels and travel documents, and sharing information with the Frontex Agency coordination center.
As a result of the Operation, participating countries detected many criminal offences and violations, including: 694 stolen vehicles, 445 stolen vehicle parts, 32 stolen boats and 87 stolen boat engines, 121 forged personal documents and 133 forged vehicle documents, 2851 illegal migrants and 61 human smugglers, seized 12 182 kg of drugs, 9 859 kg of tobacco products, over 14 million cigarettes, and 24 firearms.
These results show the effectiveness of close international cooperation and the importance of coordinated actions, which combine the resources and expertise of different services. The outcomes of Joint Action Days “MOBILE 8” make a significant contribution to EU security and prove that only by working together can we effectively respond to changing security challenges.
The State Border Guard of Latvia will continue to strengthen cooperation with Frontex Agency, Europol, Interpol, and other international partners to ensure effective border control, combat cross-border crime, and protect the security of external borders of the Republic of Latvia and of the European Union.