Police Use Firearm in Pursuit of Migrant Smugglers Near Belarus Border

Latvian police deployed a service firearm and pursued a vehicle suspected of transporting undocumented migrants near the Belarus border over the weekend. The incident occurred when police attempted to stop a "Toyota" in the Laucesas parish, but the driver refused and fled, leading officers on a chase.

The pursuit ended when the car drove into a field, and the driver and passengers attempted to escape on foot. Police fired a warning shot into the air after the driver failed to comply with lawful orders to stop. The driver, identified as a French citizen, was subsequently arrested at the scene. Border guards, with the assistance of a service dog, located six individuals who had illegally crossed the Belarus-Latvia border without valid travel documents or residency permits.

In a separate but similar incident on Sunday, police attempted to stop a "Volkswagen" on the Malta-Rēzekne road. The driver also failed to stop, leading to a chase that concluded with the vehicle in a ditch in Lūznava parish. Again, the driver and passengers fled, and border guards found six more individuals who had crossed the border illegally. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the transporters under Article 285, Part 31 of the Criminal Law, concerning the illegal movement of persons across the state border during an intensified border security regime or state of emergency.