Large scale gang of smugglers arested

A border guard is among those detained.

The members of the criminal gang were dealing in smuggling cigarettes from Russia bypassing the customs control, Kristine Petersone, the representative of Latvian National Border Guard, told BNS.

Two hunting rifles, 23 cartridges for these rifles, 2,467 cartridges of different firearms, two detonators, two and a half liters of the gunpowder and one hunting rifle muzzle with a breech block were held. besides that 12 mortar shells, 60 explosives, eight hand grenades, two liters of TNT, eight busters, 24 tracers, one revolver, one pistol, three rifles with bayonets, and a machine gun were found. The cash in the amount of 4,830 lats (EUR 6,872) and 1,260 packs of Prima brand cigarettes, 110 packs of Maksim brand cigarettes, 20 packs of L&M cigarettes and 40 packs of More cigarettes with Russian excise stamps were held.

During the pre-trial investigation one official of Ludza National Border Guard was held on suspicion of participation in the gang.

The explosive ordnance was taken over by National Armed Forces unexploded ordnance neutralizing company and destroyed.

The pre-trial investigation continues and the criminal procedures on illegal storage of weapons and ordnance were initiated. The investigation materials were passed to the Ludza National Police Bureau.

It is not disclosed what is the rank of the Border Guard official, Petersone told BNS.

Two large scale smuggling cases were discovered earlier in the eastern-Latvian region of Latgale. They were discovered by Latvian Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (ONAP) in cooperation with the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB).

The arrests on the Terehova case started in late October. The law enforcement authorities held several officials, including Customs officers, border guards, policemen and the chairman of Zilupe regional municipality Olegs Agafonovs, for smuggling at the Terehova border crossing post, as well as bribery and the abuse of authority.