The Latvian National Border Guard said it was the largest number of illegal immigrants detained at one time as a group.
The group of 28 illegal immigrants – seven men, six women and 15 children, all with Iraqi travel documents – were detained on a road in the Kraslava municipality in eastern Latvia on Thursday morning after they had illegal crossed the Latvian-Belarus border.
A criminal proceeding has been opened for illegal crossing of the national border in a group.
All Iraqis have requested asylum in Latvia. They have been sent to the asylum seeker center in Mucenieki not far from the Latvian capital Riga.
The National Board Guard said that at present 134 people were being held in the center for detained foreigners and the State Police facilities that were suited for the purpose in the Daugavpils city in eastern Latvia and they had no more room left for more detainees.
During the first nine months of this year, 373 citizens of third countries have been detained for illegally crossing Latvia’s green border which is a triple growth from last year.
During the first eight months of the year not a single application for asylum was granted, according to official data.
