Estonia has become a transit route for migrants from Africa and Asia traveling from Belarus to Scandinavia
Since mid-summer 2026, Estonian police have detained over 450 individuals who were in the country without legal authorization. The majority of those detained are from African and Asian nations, including Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Police believe most entered Estonia via Belarus, having crossed the border into Latvia illegally before attempting to reach Scandinavia—a region sought after for its high standard of living and extensive social support systems.
Many irregular migrants are intercepted at the port of Tallinn, where passenger ferries depart almost daily for Finland and Sweden. Police are now paying close attention to vehicles and passengers boarding these ferries. Some of those detained were using someone else’s identification documents, while others had been concealed inside vehicles by smugglers.
“We encounter instances of illegal entry and transit almost every day. Groups of migrants are being detained all across Estonia—both near the borders and deep within the country’s various regions,” says Estonian Police Major Indrek Aru.
The migration crisis along the borders of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland with Belarus has persisted for five years. Last year alone, border guards recorded nearly 30,000 attempts to cross illegally into the EU along the Polish-Belarusian border. In the first seven and a half months of this year, however, that figure has dropped to fewer than 400 attempts. Estonian border authorities attribute the decline in crossings at the Polish border to the stricter controls implemented by Poland. Following this, however, the migrants simply shifted to other sections of the Belarus-EU border—primarily the border with Latvia. From there, they attempt to reach other European countries, with Estonia—which borders Latvia—serving as a convenient transit route.
“Estonia is simply not accustomed to numbers like these!” admits Egert Belitšev, Director General of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. “Back in 2025, when we saw Poland introduce border controls on its frontier with Lithuania, and observed an increase in checks along the internal borders of the Schengen Area, it became clear that, at some point, people would start trying to use other routes.”
Estonian police officers note that the smuggling of irregular migrants is sometimes carried out not only by professional criminals but also by ordinary individuals looking to make some extra money.
“Most often, these are people residing in the Schengen Area on the basis of a residence permit—sometimes even citizens of Estonia or Latvia. Frequently, they have no significant criminal history; they are just regular people looking for an easy way to earn money,” says Indrek Aru.
According to him, finding such a “side job” is easy on social media, and people often fail to realize that they are committing a crime.
“They post an advertisement—on Facebook or Instagram, for example—establish initial contact, and then move the conversation to WhatsApp or Telegram.” “That’s where more delicate matters are discussed,” says District Prosecutor Laura Laial, describing how human smugglers recruit drivers. According to her, a driver typically receives between 200 and 300 euros for transporting a single person along a specific leg of the route. Meanwhile, the migrants themselves pay significantly more—between 7,000 and 10,000 euros—for the entire journey to Europe.
“Once a person reaches Belarus, they find someone who promises to transport them from one country, through another, and into a third,” Laial explains, detailing the transit scheme. “Payment arrangements vary widely. Sometimes the full amount is paid upfront; in other cases, it’s paid in stages. Part of the sum might be handed over in cash, while the rest is held in a deposit.”
“We didn’t know the punishment could be this severe.” In Latvia, Dutch nationals face up to eight years in prison for transporting irregular migrants away from the border.
Investigators find it much more difficult to determine who reaps the primary profit from this system. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the individuals detained in Estonia for transporting migrants occupy the lower rungs of a criminal network and are often unaware of who is directing the operation.
“However, we already have compelling evidence that this is primarily a matter of organized crime,” emphasizes Prosecutor Laura Laial. “The key components of this network are likely located outside of Estonia. We are working closely with other countries to track down the primary organizers.”
The Estonian Prosecutor’s Office is currently handling approximately 50 cases involving the illegal smuggling of people across the country’s borders, though suspects have not yet been identified in every instance. Most of these investigations began only a few months ago, and the first cases are just now reaching the courts.
Against this backdrop, Estonian authorities have decided to tighten laws concerning the entry and presence of illegal migrants in the country.
“This year, the number of people smuggled into Estonia is many times higher than in previous years, placing a significant strain on Estonian society. We believe that penalties must be made more severe to effectively deter criminals. The maximum prison sentence for human smuggling will be increased to seven years,” warns Estonian Minister of Justice Liisa Pakosta.
The maximum penalty for facilitating the illegal stay of individuals in Estonia is also set to increase, from one year to three years.
“We distinguish between those who facilitate migration and those who organize it,” the Minister explains. “The penalties for organizers will be significantly harsher. While a driver who simply picks people up and transports them across the border will still face punishment, it will be less severe than that imposed on the organizers. Reaching those who orchestrate these operations requires international cooperation with other states—and that is exactly what we are doing.” Heightened checks by the Estonian police are already forcing migrant smugglers to change their tactics. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, migrants are increasingly moving away from simply trying to board ferries in Tallinn on their own. Instead, other schemes are emerging: a case was recently opened in Estonia against an individual who arrived from Germany carrying a large number of documents belonging to other people—likely intended for use by others to enter the EU.
“A multitude of official documents belonging to other people were discovered in his luggage. We determined that he intended to distribute these documents to migrants currently in Estonia, enabling them to fly to another country using genuine, official paperwork,” explains prosecutor Laura Laial.
The current situation has become a test for several Estonian agencies—the police, the border guard, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the courts. However, authorities remain hopeful that intensified inspections and stricter penalties will curb the illegal smuggling of people through Estonia. In the meantime, migrants continue to seek a path to Northern Europe, while those who organize these journeys keep searching for new ways to bypass controls.