Poland intercepts 34 migrants headed from Latvia to Germany
Thursday 17th September 2026 on 20:00 in
Latvia
Polish border guards have intercepted 34 migrants hiding in a refrigerated truck who had applied for international protection in Latvia and Lithuania, LSM reported. The group was travelling towards Germany and was returned to Latvia via Lithuania.
The truck, registered in Lithuania, was stopped in Poland. The migrants were found hidden in the cargo compartment behind a specially installed partition.
They came from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Tunisia. Thirty had applied for asylum in Latvia, while the other four had applied in Lithuania, Solvita Steļmaka, head of the State Border Guard’s Return and Asylum Affairs Division, told Latvian Television.
As part of the readmission process, the migrants were handed over to the Lithuanian authorities. The group then continued its journey to Latvia.
“Through their actions, they showed that they did not need asylum procedure status or the right to stay. They did not want to remain in Latvia while waiting for a final decision,” Steļmaka said.
Their departure from Latvia may be taken into account when the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs decides whether to grant or refuse asylum.
If asylum is refused, the migrants can still appeal. In the event of a final negative decision, foreigners are usually deported to their country of residence. Forced deportations are accompanied by border guard officers.
Steļmaka said tickets for foreigners and escorts can be purchased using European funding. She added that European project funding is used even when the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, does not support deportations to certain countries.
The migrants intercepted in Poland were most likely heading for Germany. Before travelling, some had stayed at an asylum seekers’ centre, while others had rented accommodation outside the centre, Steļmaka said.
Border guards regularly find migrants who were supposed to remain in Latvia elsewhere in Europe, but cases involving such a large group are rare.
Asylum seekers often leave the centre without prior warning. The institution’s head said that almost every week, at least one such case is identified.