On the evening of October 1, in the Orany district, 35 migrants tried to illegally cross from Belarus into Lithuania. Border guards detected them using a video surveillance system and conducted a large detention operation. The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service helicopter, service dogs, border guards from several units, and police were involved,
writes
the press service of the State Border Guard Service.
Павялічыць
Photo: vsat.lrv.lt
There is no protective fence or concertina wire on the border section in the area of the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve, as it is impossible to build such infrastructure in the swampy terrain due to unstable ground and natural obstacles. The border there is protected by other means, including a surveillance system whose cameras cover areas deeper within Lithuanian territory where the ground is more stable.
On Thursday evening, border guards noticed via the video surveillance system that a group of 35 people had crossed the border near Kotra village. All of them ended up in the territory of the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve.
A border guard helicopter was deployed for an aerial search for the violators. Cynologists with service dogs also participated in the process. Surrounding roads were blocked, and the police assisted the border guards.
The migrants split into several groups but did not manage to go far in the swampy terrain. All 35 people were quickly found and detained in the forest.
The detainees did not resist. All of them were men approximately 20 to 30 years old. Eleven of them had documents, while the rest did not. They identified themselves as citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq.
After detention, an individual assessment of the circumstances was conducted for each migrant. By the morning of October 2, 29 people, based on the results of this procedure, were not allowed into Lithuania and, in accordance with the law, were returned to Belarus.
The questioning of five more people continued on Friday morning. One of the detainees complained of feeling unwell, so border guards called an ambulance for him. Medics took the man to a medical facility for examination.
According to Lithuanian border guards, this year they have prevented 1,661 people from illegally crossing from Belarus into Lithuania.