Latvian authorities have discovered a tunnel under the border with Belarus amid increasing attempts to illegally cross, Reuters reported. The government in Riga announced that it would strengthen security on the eastern border and take action against organized crime networks that authorities say are helping migrants reach the European Union, News.bg reports.
Latvia has a 173-kilometer border with Belarus. Just last month, Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired warning shots to stop a group of migrants trying to cross the border.
Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said that the protection of the eastern border would be strengthened through closer cooperation between the Border Guard, State Police, National Armed Forces and security services. More intensive use of drones for early detection and detention of illegal migrants is also planned.
According to Latvian authorities, organized crime networks are behind some of the migration pressure, helping people cross from Belarus to Latvia and then on to other Schengen countries.
„They migrate to where it is easier to enter the EU. "That's why we shouldn't be the easiest place," said Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs.
He also announced an operation codenamed "Werewolf," aimed at networks transporting migrants from the border zone to the interior of Latvia and other European countries. As part of the operation, authorities will also check for places in the country used as logistical points for temporary hiding and assisting migrants.
"If everything goes according to plan, we are confident that we will deal a serious enough blow to this system," Kulbergs said, adding that the organizers of the channels for illegal migration will be prosecuted.
Back in July, the Latvian Prime Minister described the situation on the border with Belarus as a "hybrid threat." Riga then doubled the number of officers stationed on its eastern border.
Latvia plans to step up coordination with neighboring Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, as well as other European countries, to curb the migration flow.
Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have for years accused Belarusian authorities of facilitating the movement of migrants to the EU's external border as a means of political pressure. Minsk rejects these accusations.
The new measures come amid heightened concern in Europe about illegal migration. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of migrants have crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, although most have since left the territory.