A Ukrainian national was arrested in Lithuania for allegedly trafficking four illegal migrants from India. The detention occurred in the Pasvalys district, where Lithuanian border guards apprehended the suspect for illegally transporting the migrants.
The migrants, who had applied for asylum in Latvia, left the country before receiving a decision on their applications.
The incident unfolded last Friday when a Renault Megan with Latvian plates, driven by a 48-year-old Ukrainian citizen holding temporary residence in Latvia, was stopped for inspection by border guards. Alongside the driver, the car contained four Indian nationals—two 22-year-olds, a 23-year-old, and a 43-year-old—none of whom had the necessary documents to legally enter or stay in Lithuania or the Schengen area. Upon inspection, the border guards found that the individuals had submitted asylum seeker documents to Lithuanian authorities.
The men had been prohibited from leaving Latvia while their asylum requests were processed, a common tactic used by migrants entering the EU from Belarus. They apply for asylum in countries like Latvia and Lithuania, which are considered transit points, before attempting to reach Western Europe.
The driver, already known to the authorities, had been previously convicted in Lithuania over a year ago for violating regulations related to the transport of excise goods.
A pre-trial investigation has been initiated for the illegal transport of people across the state border. If convicted, the driver could face up to eight years in prison for the offense.
