On Thursday, Latvian border guards in Krāslava intercepted 28 people who had illegally crossed the state border through an underground tunnel dug from Belarus, the State Border Guard said.
While investigating the circumstances of the illegal border crossing and conducting a thorough inspection of the surrounding area, border guards discovered an underground passage concealed beneath moss approximately 20 metres from the border, within the area of responsibility of the Kaplava Border Guard Unit.
This is already the second known case in which a tunnel has been used to illegally cross the border into Latvia.
The 28 people were returned to Belarus.
As previously reported, in early August border guards discovered 15 people in Skrudaliena Parish, Augšdaugava Municipality, who had illegally crossed the state border through an underground tunnel dug from Belarus.
To strengthen security along Latvia’s eastern border, an operation named “Vilkatis” was launched on the 11th of August. Its aim is to significantly reduce the number of illegal border crossings in eastern Latvia and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The State Border Guard, in cooperation with the State Police, has also begun scanning soil layers along the Latvia-Belarus border using ground-penetrating radar to search for possible underground tunnels.
An enhanced border security regime will remain in force along Latvia’s border with Belarus until the end of the year in response to increased irregular migration pressure created by Belarus.
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