In early November, at the "Grebnevo" border control point, a Ukrainian citizen and a Kazakh citizen were detained for attempting to bribe Latvian border guards in two separate incidents to cross the border faster, reports LETA citing the State Border Guard (SBG).
On Sunday, November 2, while performing duties as a checkpoint operator, a Ukrainian citizen approached the border guard at the "Grebnevo" control point, wanting to enter the territory of the checkpoint without being registered in the Electronic Queue system and to cross the border faster.
Upon a second approach to the border guard, she offered him a bribe to cross the border out of turn.
Then on Thursday, November 6, a truck driver — a citizen of Kazakhstan — approached the border guard performing the duties of a checkpoint operator at "Grebnevo," who also wanted to enter the territory of the checkpoint without prior registration in the Electronic Queue system. For this, he offered the Latvian border guard a bribe of 100 euros.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the citizens of Ukraine and Kazakhstan for giving or offering a bribe under the first part of Article 323 of the Criminal Law. Both individuals have been recognized as suspects, and the cases have been forwarded to the Eastern Latvia Prosecutor's Office for expedited processing to initiate criminal prosecution. The prosecutor has imposed a fine on both individuals amounting to ten minimum monthly salaries — 7400 euros each.
The Border Guard reminds that giving a bribe is a serious crime, for which, according to the Criminal Law, the punishment can be imprisonment for up to five years, short-term imprisonment, probation supervision, community service, or a monetary fine.
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