A wave of criminal migrants may also reach Latvia

In the regular reports of the Latvian State Border Guard, or every other day, some third-country nationals – Iraqis, Syrians, Russians and Ukrainians from the occupied territories – even people from Nigeria lie down to the land of happiness. Of course, the reports record some of the illegal people that the border guards manage to catch and send to the prison or where they came from, but no one has a real idea or evidence of the real numbers.

The first hug of this year

This is the same as smuggled cigarettes, which are confiscated in ridiculously small quantities, but the total smuggled consumption shown in the studies is estimated at 20%. The possible illegal presence of migrants in Latvia is evidenced both by the growing problem of false students in recent years and by their apparently numerous presence in the food courier business. However, so far there are no signs that would make the State Border Guard talk about the wave of illegal migration that has reached Latvia. At least for now.

After Lithuania requested the help of the European Union organization FRONTEX on Friday, the first group of illegal residents from Belarus was caught in Latvia this year as well. Border guard spokeswoman Kristine Petersone says they were four Iraqi citizens. It is significant that Lithuanian colleagues are also preparing for the invasion of Iraqis from Belarus. Geographically, Latvia is of less interest to them than Lithuania, because from there the route to Poland and Germany is closer. Latvia is more interested in Vietnamese coming from Russia, but since this border zone was built and a fence installed, attempts to cross the green border illegally have significantly decreased.

Increase 20 times

There is no fence on the Belarusian border, but the border itself is much more transparent. Of course, Latvian border guards are currently monitoring the situation more closely, as signals of a possible wave of illegal migrants are coming from both Belarus and Lithuania, and Lithuania claims that due to poor neighborly relations, Belarus is looking at migrants at the border. Belarusians deny this, and their official newscast also shows that illegal fishing has not stopped.

The latest case was recorded on June 11 in the Voranovsk region. The group of offenders is reported to have crossed the signaling infrastructure, but did not reach the border and was detained. According to the Belarusian Border Guard, the number of migrants trying to enter the European Union illegally has increased significantly since the beginning of the year, and the number of migrants apprehended directly at the Lithuanian border has increased 20 times.

Illegal migration is a crime

The Lithuanian authorities are currently worried that Belarusian border guards have been ordered to look the other way when migrants arrive. There are many migrants, and at the end of May, President Alexander Lukashenko threatened that Belarus would no longer slow down the flow of drugs and migrants across the border. The interstate conflict, it should be recalled, was caused by the forced landing of a plane flying from Athens to Vilnius in Minsk for the purpose of arresting one of the opposition. It is possible that these threats are already being addressed. Yesterday another group of migrants was arrested in Lithuania. It happened shortly after midnight in the Ignalina district. Four of the detainees immediately sought asylum. It is a common practice of migrants to delay their return. Previously, border violators were caught on Sunday night, and a particularly large number – 48 people. Lithuanian news agencies report that Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite has approached the Prosecutor General’s Office regarding the increased flow of migrants from Belarus. Illegal border crossings are a crime, the relocation of illegal migrants is a crime. Those who want such a pair, paying carriers from 15 to 30 thousand euros. It flies from Istanbul and Baghdad to Minsk and continues to the European border.

The next choice – Latvia

The Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior reports that from 1 to 16 June, 204 illegal migrants crossed the border illegally. Border guards have been stepped up at the border, but this is clearly not enough to catch all criminals. The assistance of the European Border Guard Organization, FRONTEX, is therefore being sought. In mid-July, about 30 border guards working for Europe could arrive in Lithuania. At present, the trails of illegal migrants are practiced along practically the entire length of the border, because there is no fence, just like on the border with Latvia. If the lei will put physical security along the entire border, then inevitably – criminals will look for other ways to enter the European Union, and then the next choice will fall on Latvia. The road is longer, but also much less walked. The Latvian State Border Guard must be very attentive at the moment, and other services are ready to support it. Criminals are nearby and in large numbers. The Lithuanian Border Guard estimates that there are currently around 1,500 migrants in Minsk trying to enter the European Union in the near future. What they are about people and for what purposes can only be mentioned.

At best, they are just criminals, at worst, terrorists.

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