Lithuanian border guards bust Iraqi group headed for Finland

According to preliminary information, three Iraqi men were transporting seven fellow nationals to Finland.

Over the past 10 days, this is the fourth case when trips of Iraqi migrants to Finland is interrupted at the Lithuanian border with Poland, the State Border Guard Service said.

The seven Iraqis without papers will be returned to Poland, the country from which they crossed into Lithuania. The three men who were driving them, who had proper travel documents, face criminal charges.

Previously, on 7 September, Lithuania’s border guards stopped a car driven by a 37-year-old Iraqi national who had Finnish residency documents. Four undocumented men were discovered in the car and its truck. The passengers, who claimed to be from Iraq, were returned to Poland, from whence they came. They driver was detained in Lithuania.

Last Saturday, Lithuanian border guards apprehended one more car that crossed from Poland. The driver, 35-year-old Iraqi, had Finnish residency permit. So did a 27-year-old passenger. However, three more people without documents were discovered in the car.

On that same day, two more migrants without documents were stopped crossing the Lithuanian-Polish border by foot. The two men, who said they were from Iraq, had certificates issued by the Macedonian migration service. Both were sent back to Poland.