Lithuania finds suspected smuggling tunnel on Belarus border

Lithuanian border guards have once again found a suspected smuggling tunnel beneath a fence on the border with Belarus, accusing the neighboring country of facilitating illegal migration. The secret passage, discovered about 1.5 meters deep, was reinforced with logs and boards and had not yet been completed when found.

Authorities in Vilnius reported that the tunnel's purpose was to smuggle migrants from Belarus into Lithuania. This discovery comes amid ongoing accusations from Lithuania that Belarus is systematically bringing people from crisis regions to the EU's external border. In response, Lithuania has intensified border security and constructed a fence.

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The tunnel was not yet finished and had no exit.

The tunnel, with a camouflaged entrance, extended about four meters into Lithuanian territory and was detected using electronic equipment. This marks the third such tunnel found in recent weeks. One previous discovery involved a confrontation between Lithuanian border guards and a group of migrants attempting to evade capture, who then fled back into Belarus. The delayed public disclosure of this incident led to an internal investigation ordered by Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas and criticism from Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius.

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The purpose of the tunnel was to smuggle migrants from Belarus into Lithuania.