Latvian border guards detained five suspected migrant smugglers during three incidents; 27 migrants attempting illegal crossing were returned to Belarus. Estonia deployed a police unit to assist Latvia amid ongoing migration pressure at the Belarus-Latvia border.

Latvian border guards detained five suspects involved in migrant smuggling within the last 24 hours. These arrests occurred during three separate cases along the Belarus-Latvia border, where a total of 27 migrants attempting illegal crossing were intercepted and returned to Belarus. The smugglers included citizens from Ukraine, Latvia, Turkey, and Lithuania. Typically, about five smugglers are detained weekly. Estonia has deployed a 12-member police unit, ESTPOL11, including medics, document experts, drone pilots, and service dogs, to assist Latvia amid ongoing migration pressure. Latvian Border Guard head Veiko Kommusaar described the situation at the Belarus-Latvia border as a deliberate campaign by Belarus aimed at undermining border security and general safety, exploiting ordinary people as tools. Estonia views assisting Latvia as protecting the EU's external border. The migration pressure continues with roughly 50 illegal border crossings attempted daily at the Belarus-Latvia frontier.