The Latgale District Court sentenced a man to five years in prison for transporting illegal migrants, reports LETA.
As reported by the LETA agency, the prosecution indicated that an individual created an organized group in the Telegram application with the aim of illegally transporting people from Belarus to European Union member states.
In August of this year, this individual contacted the accused via Telegram, who agreed to transport illegal migrants from the Latvian-Belarusian border zone to Riga, receiving 450 euros for each illegal migrant transported.
The accused was responsible for meeting the illegal migrants at the agreed time and place, transporting them by car to the specified location, and sending a video recording or photograph confirming the transportation.
The accused arrived at the specified location in the Ludza region, where he picked up five illegal migrants and headed to the designated place in Rezekne. It was planned to deliver the migrants to Riga, where they were to be handed over to another member of the organized group. On the way to the destination, the accused dropped off four illegal migrants and drove into the yard of one of the houses, where he was detained along with one illegal migrant.
As established during the investigation, a total of ten illegal migrants were previously attracted to Minsk by one of the members of the organized group for selfish reasons. Two other members of the group illegally crossed the Belarusian-Latvian border and accompanied the migrants to a certain location in the Ludza region, where the accused picked up five of them in his car.
This year, a total of 11,953 people have been detained for illegally crossing the Latvian-Belarusian border. At the same time, for humanitarian reasons, 31 illegal migrants were allowed to cross the border.
As reported, last year, 5,388 people were detained for illegally crossing the Latvian-Belarusian border, while 26 people were admitted to the country for humanitarian reasons.
The government has extended the enhanced border security regime on the Belarusian border until December 31 of this year. This decision was made due to the increased flow of illegal migrants organized by Belarus. The enhanced control regime is in effect in Ludza and the municipalities of the Ludza region, Kraslava and its municipalities, Augšdaugava region, Daugavpils, and in the Kaunata municipality of the Rezekne region.
At the same time, the Ministry of the Interior has proposed to extend this regime until June 30, 2026.
