Dombrava says border saboteurs are not always migrants

Surveillance footage from the Latvian-Belarusian border shows that some people sabotaging border infrastructure are not migrants from Africa or the Middle East, Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said in an interview with Latvian Television, LSM reported.

Dombrava said incidents occur at irregular intervals and that authorities should identify those damaging the border’s technological infrastructure, including by stealing cameras and setting fire to electrical distribution cabinets.

He acknowledged that the State Border Guard’s capacity had previously been insufficient. An agreement has therefore been reached with the National Armed Forces to provide additional resources and make wider use of technological solutions.

Regarding the first tunnel discovered for the illegal entry of migrants into Latvia, Dombrava said the group of 15 migrants who were detained had used the underground passage but had not dug it. No tools were found with them.

He said it could be difficult to identify those who dug the tunnel, but suggested that the tools may have been taken back to the Belarusian side. It is not known how long the tunnel had existed.

“The organised crime network also extends into Belarusian government structures. I cannot rule out activity linked to representatives of Belarusian government structures,” Dombrava said.

The tunnel is currently guarded and will be filled in. In the near future, a company will be hired to survey the border once using ground scanners to check for other tunnels. The authorities also plan to acquire ground-penetrating radar for long-term use.

Latvia launched Operation Vilkatis on August 11 to counter illegal migration. The National Armed Forces are increasing the number of personnel and technical resources supporting the Border Guard, including drones, helicopters and aircraft.

Latvia will cooperate with Lithuania, Estonia and Poland to restrict illegal border crossings and secondary migration. The operation will also assess existing border security problems and seek ways to strengthen the Border Guard.