On May 25, 2026, eight illegal migrants—two Indian citizens and six Bangladeshi citizens—were detained in Birzgale Parish, Ogre Municipality, central Latvia, far from the Latvian border. They were found after an eyewitness report of two foreigners attempting to stop cars on the Riga HES–Jaunjelgava highway. Police found two migrants with the eyewitness, and later discovered six more in the forest. The migrants may have been abandoned in the forest, according to the Ogre District Council chairman, Andris Krauja. An empty car was found nearby but its connection is unknown. The State Border Guard denies the migrants were in the forest for several days and believes they originated from Belarus and were part of a group pursued from the border area early that morning. The detainees were returned to Belarus in line with legal frameworks. Human smuggling activity is increasing with warmer weather; 36 smugglers have been caught so far this year compared to 75 last year. Nearly 4,000 illegal crossings have been prevented this year as of May 26, compared to over 12,000 last year. A State Border Guard representative warned that the situation this year could be similar to last year and not easy.

On May 25, 2026, eight illegal migrants—two Indian citizens and six Bangladeshi citizens—were detained in Birzgale Parish, Ogre Municipality, central Latvia, far from the Latvian border. They were found after an eyewitness report of two foreigners attempting to stop cars on the Riga HES–Jaunjelgava highway. Police found two migrants with the eyewitness, and later discovered six more in the forest. The migrants may have been abandoned in the forest, according to the Ogre District Council chairman, Andris Krauja. An empty car was found nearby but its connection is unknown. The State Border Guard denies the migrants were in the forest for several days and believes they originated from Belarus and were part of a group pursued from the border area early that morning. The detainees were returned to Belarus in line with legal frameworks. Human smuggling activity is increasing with warmer weather; 36 smugglers have been caught so far this year compared to 75 last year. Nearly 4,000 illegal crossings have been prevented this year as of May 26, compared to over 12,000 last year. A State Border Guard representative warned that the situation this year could be similar to last year and not easy.