Sudanese man caught with fake Belgian ID after second illegal border crossing into Lithuania

Lithuanian border guards intercepted a 34-year-old Sudanese man on a train traveling from Riga to Vilnius, who was attempting to enter the country for the second time illegally. The man presented a forged Belgian identity card, which was identified as a complete fake not meeting security standards.

This is not the first time the individual has been caught in Lithuania. In June, he was apprehended among other illegal migrants. At that time, he had no identification and was handed over to Latvian authorities, as he had applied for asylum in Latvia. He was residing in an asylum center near Riga before absconding and boarding the train to Lithuania.

Authorities believe the Sudanese national arrived in Belarus, illegally crossed into Latvia, and was then transported to Lithuania with the intention of reaching Western Europe, specifically France or Belgium. He was removed from the train and detained.

A preliminary investigation has been launched for document forgery. The man faces potential penalties including fines, restrictions on liberty, arrest, or imprisonment of up to four years. Prosecutors have decided to conclude the pre-trial investigation with a criminal order.

Lithuanian border guards are seeing a significant increase in secondary migration from Latvia. In 2023, there were 1,288 instances, and in the first seven months of this year, the number rose to 1,836. This trend involves illegal migrants who enter Latvia from Belarus and then attempt to reach Western Europe, often Germany, via Lithuania and Poland.