32 migrants arrested in Estonia linked to Latvia-Belarus migration pressure
More than 30 migrants have been detained by police in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, in recent days, believed to be connected to a surge in illegal immigration at the Latvia-Belarus border.
The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said the foreign nationals were travelling in different groups and were detained in various locations across the capital. This included at an accommodation facility in Nõmme, at the port, and in the city center. In one case, a resident tipped off the police.
None of the detained foreign nationals had identity documents that would allow them to be identified, but according to the current information, they originate from several countries in Africa, the PPA said in a statement issued on Friday.
Preliminary information shows the migrants arrived in Estonia from Belarus after illegally crossing the Latvian border. They said they planned to travel through Finland to Western Europe.
Latvia has reported a big uptick in attempts to cross its eastern border this year, with border authorities reporting more than 8,000 attempts. The PPA, as well as officers from Lithuania, have been sent to the border to assist their Latvian counterparts.
The authorities say the activity at the border is part of a "hybrid attack" orchestrated by the Belarusian regime, which first started in 2021 and has also affected Lithuania, Poland and Finland.
Last summer, Poland put additional checks on its border with Lithuania to stop and catch people smugglers transporting the migrants through the Baltics and on to western Europe.
'Significantly higher than usual'
Head of the border guard department of the PPA's North Prefecture, Indrek Aru, outlined the situation: "The number of foreign nationals detained for illegal immigration over the past three days is significantly higher than usual."
He said the police's first task is to establish the migrants' real identities and intentions "to protect public order and security in Estonia and across the Schengen area."
"A large proportion of those arriving here illegally apply for international protection, so we must establish their nationality, exact origin and any possible need for international protection. We are also making every effort to determine the circumstances in which the migrants reached Estonia and to identify those organising the illegal migration," Aru added.
Migration is a 'hybrid weapon'
Aru said the illegal migration originating from Belarus at the Latvian border is being used as a "hybrid weapon."
"The tightening of control measures in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia has certainly increased illegal immigration towards Estonia. Summer weather also facilitates illegal migration by making movement easier," he said.
The official urged citizens to report "unusual groups of foreign nationals in border areas, especially in southern Estonia, who differ from so-called ordinary tourists" to the authorities.
"People have always tried to profit from human smuggling, and the desire for easy money is an inseparable part of illegal migration. Transporting foreign nationals across state borders without a legal basis, as well as any other activities facilitating this, constitutes a criminal offence," he stressed.
Claiming international protection
The PPA said that most of the people who arrived in Estonia illegally have undergone the initial procedural steps, and the "vast majority" are applying for international protection in Estonia. The foreign nationals are now in a detention center.
An asylum application is usually processed within four months. If the court rejects the application, the foreign nationals will be removed from Estonia.
During the first six months of this year, 149 people were apprehended for illegal migration.
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Editor: Helen Wright