They are accused of smuggling citizens from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and India across the Lithuanian border.
According to Lithuanian state television LRT, citing the prosecution, the investigation was completed on January 23. According to the case materials, the group of migrants tried to escape after being intercepted by the police, but all were arrested.
The investigation revealed that the Ukrainians, aged between 22 and 26, living in Poland, Slovakia, and Italy, were transporting illegal immigrants from Latvia to Poland in two minivans. Two of them were driving Opel Vivaro and VW Transporter vehicles, while the other three were monitoring police movements and relaying information to the drivers.
Initially, one of the minivans was stopped in the city of Utena, and then both vehicles were detained at different points in the Utena district. During the stop of one vehicle, the driver ran out and tried to escape, with some passengers following him, while the minivan crashed into another vehicle. Meanwhile, migrants in the other minivan attempted to escape through broken windows, but they were also caught and arrested. All five defendants admitted their guilt, stating they were transporting migrants for financial gain.
According to the Criminal Code of Lithuania, the illegal transportation of foreigners without permanent residence, or when it becomes a threat to their lives, is punishable by imprisonment for up to eight years.
