Latvia has discovered a new tunnel used for illegal migration from Belarus

Latvia has identified a camouflaged tunnel with bushes, located 20 meters from the border, used for illegal migration from Belarus.

This is the second tunnel discovered this month, after border guards found another passage used by 15 people on August 10.

In the first eight months of 2026, Latvia has prevented nearly 10,000 attempts to cross the border illegally, compared to 12,000 in the entire previous year. The head of the Border Police, Guntis Pujāts, stated that Latvia is being used as a transit territory for migrants, who are directing their attention towards Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The regime of Aleksandr Lukashenko in Belarus is accused of instrumentalizing migration, and Latvian authorities have opened a criminal case against Belarusian officials. Latvia has strengthened border security, completing a 173-kilometer fence and launching operation 'Werewolf' to combat illegal migration. Additional support has been provided by Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland, while Latvia is facing a shortage of 200 border police officers.