Police say Nõmme has no more migrants than other districts

Police have detained two groups of irregular migrants in recent months in Nõmme, but say the Tallinn district has no more migrant activity than other parts of the city, ERR reports. Since mid-summer, police have detained 83 groups across Estonia.

Following tips from neighbours, police detained 15 migrants in Nõmme in July and another 10 last Sunday. Large groups have also been caught near TalTech, a university. Since July 21, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has detained 352 irregular migrants in Estonia.

Rainis Sinikas, head of the North Prefecture’s border and migration supervision unit, said the detainees were spread across different districts. He said people in Nõmme, a small garden suburb where neighbours tend to know one another, are more likely to notice unfamiliar faces and alert police.

Last Sunday’s operation began after neighbours reported seeing two dark-skinned men outside a house. Police detained them and found they were Sudanese nationals staying in Estonia illegally. During questioning, officers learned that several more people were hiding nearby. Police then searched the area with patrols, service dogs and the Rescue Board.

Police are still establishing the circumstances of Sunday’s case. In July, they found that the migrants had gathered at a short-term rental property. Sinikas said officers check whether detainees had stayed in Estonia, investigate any accommodation they used and trace their route and background. Those inquiries can lead to further arrests at the same address.

October has brought near-continuous arrests, mainly in Tallinn, with smaller groups caught in Pärnu and central Estonia. On Monday, the PPA detained a group of seven in central Tallinn. Police expect migration pressure to persist and potentially increase before winter.

The PPA continues to receive tips about suspected irregular migrants. Sinikas said the reports were not based on race; people’s behaviour and dirty clothing were more likely to draw attention. He noted that many groups caught in muddy weather were also covered in mud.

Migration is putting the resources of the PPA and other agencies under strain. More than 250 people are being held at Tallinn’s detention centre.