Russia: Estonia becoming transit point for illegal immigration

Russia: Estonia becoming transit point for illegal immigration


Russian border and migration officials estimate that there are about 20,000 illegal immigrants near Estonian and Latvian borders whose destination is Finland or other Scandinavian countries and who attempt to get there through the Baltic states.


They say that if Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania wish to keep those illegal immigrants outside their borders they need to close all loopholes that they may use for illegal border crossing.


Estonian police and border guard board agrees that Estonia is becoming an important transit point for smuggling illegal immigrants, especially Afghans, Syrians and Palestinians to Scandinavia.


(...)


After Finnish authorities informed Estonian border guard service that the number of illegal immigrants arriving from Estonia was increasing, Estonian authorities started active inspections and in two months detained more than ten Afghans and Palestinians who were travelling to Tallinn from Riga by intercity coach and who had either forged IDs or none.



(...)


According to informed sources, illegal immigrants pay up to 15,000 US dollars per person for the right to get to the West. They sell everything, are taken first to Russia and then to the Baltic border zone.


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Source: Baltic Business News (English)

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