The Gulf of Finland Coast Guard is currently investigating a number of cases of organised illegal immigration connected to the situation on the eastern border. The majority of the criminal organisations being investigated are alleged to operate from the Middle East, Russia, Europe, and Finland. These organisations are suspected of using Finland as a transit country for illegal immigration to other parts of Europe.
According to reports, these criminal organisations are suspected to be involved in extensive human smuggling for significant financial compensation. Individuals are arranged from the Middle East to Russia and Finland, and then from Finland to other parts of Europe. The Finnish Border Guard suspects that several hundred individuals who entered from Russia are still in the country and are trying to move to other parts of Europe. To address this issue, the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard has formed a dedicated internal investigation team under the Crime Prevention Unit and is collaborating with other divisions within the Border Guard, the Central Criminal Police, and international collaborators, including Europol.
In recent months, Finland has been facing several cases related to illegal immigration. The Southeastern Finland Border Guard arrested 11 Iranian people for crossing the border irregularly, and 34 people lacking the necessary documents arrived at Finland’s Vartius border crossing point. Furthermore, 58 asylum seekers from various countries arrived at the Salla international border crossing.
Finland has blamed Russia for the recent influx of migrants, alleging that Russian authorities are facilitating transportation to Finnish territory. At present, all border crossing points between Finland and Russia are closed, and the Finnish Prime Minister has confirmed that the border will remain closed as long as Russia continues to push migrants to Finland’s borders. The Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies are working diligently to prevent and investigate this type of criminal activity and the underlying international crime.
This issue is of great concern to Finland and is being closely monitored by authorities.
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