24 November, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Officers of the 9th Department (for Vitebsk Region) of the Main Directorate for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption (GUBOPiK) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus have disrupted a channel of illegal migration to the European Union in Braslav District on the border with Lithuania, the 9th Department informed a BELTA correspondent. While acting on received operational information on the highway leading towards the border with Lithuania, two citizens of Belarus and one citizen of Russia were detained. They were attempting to smuggle four citizens of Afghanistan, who were illegally staying in Belarus, across the State Border into Lithuania. In case of success, they intended to receive $2,000 for each person smuggled. Law enforcement agencies have grounds to believe that the detainees are members of an international criminal group, which, in addition to citizens of Belarus and Russia, included citizens of Afghanistan and Baltic countries. A criminal case has been initiated against the three organisers of illegal migration by the preliminary investigation department of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee under Part 2 of Article 371-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (organisation of illegal migration), which provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to seven years. Necessary investigative measures are being carried out against other members of the criminal group. The citizens of Afghanistan will be forcibly deported upon completion of the investigation. As noted by the department, this is the first case of organisers of illegal migration of Afghan citizens being detained in the region this year, despite repeated detentions of illegal immigrants from this country attempting to enter the European Union.-0-

BELTA