Lithuania buys tunnel‑detection system to block illegal migrant crossings

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas announced that Lithuania will purchase a ground‑vibration detection system borrowed from Poland after it successfully identified an illegal tunnel near the village of Pertako. The technology records surface vibrations to spot digging attempts before a tunnel is completed. The State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported several recent tunnel attempts in the Lazdijai and Varėna districts, some used by migrant groups from Belarus and Latvia; all discovered tunnels were sealed after procedural actions.

Katelynas noted a sharp increase in secondary migration from Latvia, with the flow rising from roughly 300 to over 1,400 people in the first six months of the year, while about 8,000 attempts to cross from Belarus were intercepted and returned. He said the new system, together with existing fences and other measures, will strengthen the country’s border protection.

VSAT head Rustamas Liubajevas added that tunnel detections are becoming more frequent, but successful undetected crossings remain isolated cases.