Belarusian wanted in Lithuania and France caught at border

Lithuanian border guards at the Medininkai crossing detained a 41-year-old Belarusian citizen who is wanted by police in both Lithuania and France. The man, who currently resides in Spain, was traveling in a "Kia Carnival" with Kyrgyz license plates when he was stopped early Wednesday morning.

During a document check, officials discovered an active arrest warrant for the Belarusian national, issued by Vilnius police in April 2020, over six years prior. The warrant was related to a custodial sentence that was due to expire in January 2030. Further checks revealed that French police were also seeking the individual.

The man had previously held temporary residency permits in Lithuania from November 2013 to December 2015. He currently possesses a temporary residency permit in Spain. Border guards took the Belarusian citizen into custody and handed him over to Vilnius police.

This incident is part of a larger trend, as Lithuanian border guards have apprehended 299 individuals wanted by national and international law enforcement agencies in the first seven months of this year. The majority of those detained were Lithuanian citizens, but a significant number were foreign nationals sought for various offenses.