On Friday, July 12, a citizen of Georgia was detained for transporting people, who have illegally crossed the state border.
While carrying out enhanced border guarding measures, on the P60 motorway (Dagda-Aglona), the border guards spotted a BMW 318 with suspicious persons inside and launched its pursuit. Noticing the pursuit, the driver of the car accelerated rapidly. The border guards turned on the lights and an audible signal, but the driver did not react and continued to accelerate until he lost control of the vehicle and drove off the road into a ditch. The driver and four passengers ran away. After a short time, by involving a dog handler with a service dog, all persons were detained. It was stated that the driver of the car is a citizen of Georgia, who transported four persons of Asian origin without valid visas and residence permits.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against the Georgian citizen for knowingly ensuring a person with the possibility to stay illegally in the Republic of Latvia, if such a possibility is provided for two or more persons (Section 2851(2) of the Criminal Law).
The mentioned offences are punishable by imprisonment till six years.
The third-country citizens are stopped from illegally crossing the state border in accordance with the Cabinet Order No 184 of March 12, 2024 "Regarding Declaration of the Reinforced Operating Regime of the Border Guarding System".