EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania, Society, Transport

Photo: pasienis.lt

Lithuania's State Border Guard Service (VSAT) Lazdijai Frontier District and Polish border guards from Podlaskie Voivodeship took part in the operation at the 104.3-kilometre-long border between Poland and Lithuania. They were assisted by Lithuanian police forces from Alytus and Marijampole districts and Polish police from Sejny and Augustow, as well as Lithuania's Customs officers from Kaunas and Polish Customs Service from Bialystok.

In two stages of the operation, on 14-17 August and 21-24 August, Lithuanian officers inspected 1,454 vehicles and 3,124 people who crossed the border. Several cases of illegal migration were uncovered.

A citizen of the Czech Republic was driving thee Afghanis in his Saab 93. They had asylum seekers' papers issued in Latvia. Such documents prohibit crossing the national borders.

A Russian citizen was driving three illegal migrants in his Renault Megane. Only one of them had a Vietnamese passport, others also claimed to be Vietnamese.

On the final day a Polish citizen's Fiat 500 was stopped, a 15-year-old female Vietnamese was found hiding under a blanket on the back seat. Her exact identity is being checked.

It has been reported that the flow of Georgian illegal migrants has subsided in Lithuania. 78 them were caught in the first half of 2013, 61 in the first half of 2014 and 38 in the first half of 2015. Meanwhile, the number of illegal Vietnamese migrants has grown. 32 were caught in the first half of 2013, 55 in the first half of 2014 and 158 in the first half of 2015.

VSAT will soon be informed about the results of the operation on the Polish side of the border.