RIGA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Latvian law enforcement authorities conducted a large-scale operation on Tuesday, apprehending 46 migrants and their two traffickers in a dramatic pursuit.
The chase, which began at the Belarusian border, lasted about an hour and ended in the Staburags parish, central Latvia, the Latvian State Police reported.
The traffickers used a van painted to resemble a State Police vehicle, complete with fake license plates, in an attempt to deceive authorities. Border guards and police officers pursued the vehicle before successfully disabling it by shooting out its tires.
During the chase, two migrants were shot and later hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. Another migrant received medical attention after experiencing a sudden health issue.
To date, Latvian border guards have prevented 4,614 illegal border crossing attempts from Belarus this year, allowing entry to 18 people on humanitarian grounds.
