Police Arrest Six Human Smugglers and 19 Illegal Migrants in Four Days
Estonian police stopped four vehicles in early October, finding a total of 19 undocumented foreign nationals. Six drivers were detained on suspicion of human trafficking.
Four Stops, Six Suspects and 19 Illegal Migrants
Estonian police stopped four vehicles over four days in early October, discovering a total of 19 people who had entered the country illegally. According to Õhtuleht, six foreign nationals were detained on suspicion of human trafficking.
Tori Municipality, 3 October
At around 5 p.m., police stopped a Volvo with Latvian number plates in Tori Municipality, driven by a 62-year-old German citizen. Seven men were found in the vehicle's cabin and boot, claiming to be from Morocco and Somalia. Their clothes were soaked through and soiled, and they lacked identity documents. The driver was detained on suspicion.
Paldiski North Harbour, 4 October
Border guards discovered three foreign nationals residing illegally in Estonia in the boot of an Audi heading to Sweden, partially hidden under a blanket. The men claimed to be from Eritrea and Ethiopia. The 20-year-old Ukrainian citizen driving the car held Swedish residency but presented a forged driving licence. Another Ukrainian citizen was also in the vehicle. Both Ukrainians were detained, and the remaining foreign nationals were placed in a detention centre.
Häädemeeste Municipality, 5 October
In the early hours at around 4 a.m., police stopped a Toyota with Lithuanian registration plates. Behind the wheel was a 22-year-old Pakistani citizen with Lithuanian residency. The vehicle also contained another Pakistani citizen with the same residency permit and two undocumented Somali citizens. The group was taken to Pärnu police station, and the Pakistani citizens were detained on suspicion.
Tallinn-Tartu-Luhamaa Road, 6 October
At around 1 a.m., police stopped a Kia Sportage with Latvian number plates at the 85-kilometre mark, driven by a 63-year-old Bulgarian citizen. Seven men from third countries were found in the cabin and boot, all lacking documents. The migrants were directed to Tartu police station, and the Bulgarian was detained on suspicion.
Prosecutor: Imprisonment Likely Consequence
According to senior prosecutor Toomas Koitmäe, organising illegal migration is a serious crime. "The foreign nationals were hidden in vehicles in such a way that even a minor accident would have posed a threat to their lives. They had no documents and some of their clothes were soaked through. All detained drivers were foreign nationals who, according to current information, came to Estonia solely to earn criminal proceeds from smuggling foreigners," said Koitmäe. The prosecutor added that the prosecution will submit requests to court for the arrest or expedited prosecution of all suspects.
Margo Peters, head of the Western Prefecture's Border and Migration Supervision Department, noted that systematic attention is paid to apprehending those who organise illegal migration. "Additional patrols operating inland, inspections carried out at harbours, and information exchange with colleagues in neighbouring countries give us a good overview of different movement trends," said Peters.
As of today, police have detained 303 foreign nationals who illegally entered Estonia since July. Tallinn detention centre currently holds 226 people, and 93 individuals who illegally entered Estonia from Belarus via Latvia have been handed over to Latvia.
Source: Õhtuleht