Finnish and Estonian authorities uncover surge in human smuggling via Belarus-Latvia route, with Finland deploying support to Tallinn

The Finnish Border Guard’s crime prevention unit in Turku has concluded a preliminary investigation into an international criminal organization suspected of organizing the illegal entry of over 40 individuals into Finland as part of a broader scheme to facilitate transit to other EU countries. The operation, spanning from December 2025 to April 2026, targeted third-country nationals who had previously sought asylum in Latvia or were transported directly from Belarus, transporting them through Finland en route to other European destinations Yle reports. Daily Finland confirms that the criminal network, based in East Africa, orchestrated the movement of these individuals, with both the smuggled migrants and suspected organizers originating from the same region.