Border guards detain irregular migrants with forged documents on Riga bus

Lithuanian border guards have detained two irregular migrants travelling by bus from Riga to Warsaw after they presented forged Austrian identity documents, LRT reports.

The incident occurred late on Tuesday near the village of Kalviai in Joniškis district. Officers from the Šiauliai border guard unit of the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) stopped a scheduled Mercedes-Benz coach with Estonian licence plates en route from Vaasa (Finland) to Warsaw via Riga.

During the check, two young foreign nationals who had boarded in Riga drew attention. They presented Austrian identity cards, but the photos in the documents did not match their appearance. The men, both 22-year-old Somali citizens, had no other documents permitting entry or stay in Lithuania.

According to VSAT, the pair had flown to Belarus, crossed the border illegally into Latvia, and were detained there in May after applying for asylum. While awaiting a decision, they left the accommodation centre in Latvia and attempted to travel onward through Lithuania and Poland, likely aiming to reach Germany or another Western European destination.

Border guards removed the men from the bus and detained them. A pre-trial investigation has been launched by the Pagėgiai border guard unit under the supervision of the Panevėžys district prosecutor’s office. Forgery or use of forged documents carries penalties ranging from fines to up to four years in prison under Lithuanian law.

Investigators confirmed the Austrian identity cards were counterfeit. VSAT noted that irregular migrants often exploit a tactic of seeking asylum in the first EU country they enter, then attempt to move deeper into Western Europe while procedures are ongoing. Latvia and Lithuania frequently serve as transit points in such cases.

Migrants who enter Latvia irregularly often travel onward in groups, using carriers, public transport, or forged documents. Those detained via this so-called “Latvian route” are typically returned to Latvian authorities after necessary procedures.