Polish border officials, in a control operation, stopped a refrigerated truck carrying 34 migrants on the A2 highway near the city of Poznań. This truck, which had a Lithuanian license plate, was heading towards Germany, and inspections revealed that individuals were hidden in the refrigerated compartment of the truck.
Inspection details and nationalities of the migrants
During this inspection, border officials discovered that the migrants were placed in a compartment specifically designed for hiding individuals. These individuals had traveled from various countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Somalia, and Sudan towards Europe. According to a spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard, these foreigners had documents indicating that they had applied for international protection in Latvia.
Next steps and consequences
After the truck was stopped, the migrants were handed over to Lithuanian authorities to begin the process of their return to their country of origin. Additionally, the truck driver is under investigation. This action comes as Poland and the Baltic states accuse Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, of systematically transferring migrants from crisis-hit areas to the external borders of the European Union to exert pressure on the West.
Poland has currently fortified its border with Belarus with a five-meter-high wall and electronic surveillance cameras. Several tunnels have also been discovered at the Lithuania-Belarus border in August, through which migrants have been able to enter this country illegally.
