Latvia uncovers secret tunnel for migrants under border with Belarus
Police, the State Border Guard and the National Armed Forces found an underground passage about 10 metres from the fence; 15 migrants were returned to Belarus.
Latvian authorities discovered a concealed underground tunnel under the border with Belarus that was being used to smuggle migrants into the country, officials said.
Border Police, the State Border Guard and the National Armed Forces carried out a joint operation late on Monday when they encountered 15 migrants near the Silene border crossing, which was closed in 2023.
While officers were checking how the group had entered Latvia, they found the tunnel. The underground passage lay about 10 metres from the border fence. The migrants were later returned to Belarus.
Authorities order further checks
"At midnight, the first tunnel in Latvia was discovered in the sector under the responsibility of the State Border Guard unit in Silene," Interior Minister Janis Dombrova said. He instructed the state secretary at the Ministry of Interior to carry out scanning along the external border to determine whether there are other tunnels.
"We will continue with the activities and hope that we will fully succeed in stopping the inflow of illegal migration from Belarus," Dombrova added. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said the response must include "full surveillance by drones 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
Officials described this as the first tunnel of its kind found in Latvia; until now, migrants attempting to enter have tried to climb or cross the border fence. Latvia has earlier taken measures to restrict crossings along its Belarus border.
Photo: Монтажа / Државна гранична стража на Латвија
