Another migrant tunnel has been discovered in Latvia near the Belarusian border

RIGA - On Thursday in Kraslava, border guards detected 28 individuals who had illegally crossed the state border through an underground tunnel from Belarus, the State Border Guard informed LETA.

While investigating the circumstances of the border crossing and conducting a thorough survey of the surrounding area, border guards in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Kaplava Border Guard Unit, 20 meters from the border, discovered an underground passage concealed beneath moss.

This is already the second case in which a tunnel has been used to illegally cross the state border into Latvia.

Twenty-eight people were returned to Belarus.

The State Border Guard told LETA that the tunnel discovered in early August has been filled in, while the one discovered on Thursday will be filled in shortly.

The border guard also confirmed that the tunnel has been filled in only on the Latvian side, as there is no legal way to remove it on the Belarusian side.

The Border Guard also noted that it will regularly inspect both sites to prevent any new attempts to reopen the tunnels and use them for illegal migration.

"It is very important to continue searching for all vulnerabilities that allow illegal immigrants to enter Latvia. I am pleased that the State Border Guard has managed to discover two tunnels in a short period of time, while also deterring a significant number of illegal immigrants attempting to enter our country. Our goal remains unchanged: to reduce illegal immigration to zero," said Interior Minister Janis Dombrava (National Alliance).

As previously reported, in early August, border guards in the Skrudaliena county of the Augsdaugava municipality discovered 15 people who had illegally crossed the state border through a dug underground tunnel from Belarus.

To ensure the security of Latvia’s eastern border, Operation Vilkatis began on August 11. Its goal is to significantly reduce the number of illegal border crossings in eastern Latvia and prevent such incidents in the future.

Similarly, the State Border Guard, in cooperation with the State Police, has begun scanning soil layers along the Latvian-Belarusian border using a special radar to search for possible underground tunnels.

In Latvia, an enhanced border security regime remains in effect along the border with Belarus until the end of the year, implemented in response to the increased pressure of illegal migration originating from Belarus.