Currently, the criminal case has been initiated regarding the facts, rather than against specific officials, and its investigation will be conducted by the Department of State Security Protection of the Prosecutor General's Office. This is the first case in which Latvia will assess the actions of Belarusian officials within the framework of a criminal process. As reported by the prosecutor's office, on July 13, a statement was received from the State Border Guard (SBG), indicating that since August 2021, it has been facing prolonged and systematic migratory pressure at the Latvian-Belarusian border, which should be regarded not as a collection of attempts at illegal border crossings by individual citizens of third countries, but as a deliberate and systematic unlawful activity of a criminal organization, which includes officials from the structures of the Belarusian State Border Committee. The information listed in the statement and its attachments gives grounds to believe that a criminal organization has been created, consisting of at least five individuals, which has committed a particularly serious crime against Latvia. This has manifested in the systematic undermining of the activities of the Latvian border guard and damage to border protection infrastructure, which hindered the performance of the border service's tasks and weakened its effectiveness. The criminal organization also coordinated and facilitated the illegal movement of individuals across the state border, the prosecutor's office noted. The initiation of a criminal case is an important step, as it confirms that such actions are regarded not as isolated border violations, but as a targeted crime against Latvia and its security, the prosecutor's office emphasized. The criminal case will provide an opportunity to systematically collect, verify, and secure evidence of the actions and responsibilities of those involved. In the long term, this evidence may be used to hold the guilty parties accountable as soon as legal opportunities arise, the prosecutor's office explained. Prosecutor General Armīns Meisters previously stated in an interview with the LETA agency that there is no doubt that illegal migration is organized with the involvement of Belarusian authorities. Meisters confirmed that information is being collected and the possibility of a criminal case against Belarusian officials for the actual organization and support of illegal migration is being considered. As reported, this year, 8,070 individuals were detained for illegal crossing of the Latvian-Belarusian border, while last year the SBG prevented attempts by 12,046 individuals to illegally cross the border. The government has extended the enhanced border security regime with Belarus until December 31 of this year, which was introduced due to the large influx of illegal migrants. The enhanced control regime is in effect in Ludza and the municipalities of the Ludza region, in Kraslava and its municipalities, in the Augšdaugava region, in Daugavpils, and in the Kaunat municipality of the Rezekne region.