Within a 24-hour period, for the transportation of persons who had illegally crossed the State border, border guards in cooperation with officials of the State Police detained three persons in Augšdaugava, Rēzekne, and Krāslava Municipalities, and prevented 17 persons from illegally crossing the Sate border.
On Thursday, April 23, officials of the State Police, while providing support to border guards, stopped an Opel vehicle for inspection on a road in Augšdaugava Municipality, driven by a French citizen. After a short time, police officers stopped a Škoda vehicle in Robežnieki Parish of Krāslava Municipality, driven by a Ukrainian citizen. On Friday, April 24, border guards stopped a Volvo vehicle in Robežnieki Parish of Krāslava Municipality, driven by a Latvian citizen. During the inspections of the vehicles, it was established that in one case there were seven persons of Asian origin in the vehicle, in another case five persons, and in the third case another five persons, all without valid travel documents, visas, or residence permits.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the “carriers” under Section 285¹, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law for knowingly providing a person with the possibility 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.
17 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 over the past weekend, from April 17 to 19, border guards, in cooperation with officials of the State Police, detained three persons in the Rēzekne, Ludza, 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.