More than 180 migrants entered Poland through a forest tunnel from Belarus; about 130 were detained and others remain at large. Video released by the Polish Border Guard shows a 1.5 m-high tunnel reinforced with wooden posts and metal rods; the entrance was roughly 50 m from the border fence on the Belarusian side. Authorities said this was the fourth tunnel found this year in the Podlaskie region, and army and police forces were deployed to search for the missing.
Over 180 Migrants Tunnel From Belarus Into Poland; 130 Detained as Search Continues
Polish Border Guard via Reuters
More than 180 migrants entered Poland through a hidden tunnel dug under a forest along the border with Belarus, the Polish Border Guard said on Friday. Authorities discovered the underground passage on Thursday and detained about 130 people in Poland; others were reported still at large.
The Border Guard released video showing the narrow tunnel carved through roots and bare earth, reinforced with wooden posts and metal rods. At roughly 1.5 metres (5 feet) high, the passage forced people to crouch or crawl to get through.
Officers said the tunnel's concealed entrance lay approximately 50 metres from the border fence on the Belarusian side, while the exit opened about 10 metres from the barrier on the Polish side. Electronic monitoring helped officials estimate how many people had passed through the tunnel.
In addition to the migrants, authorities detained a 69-year-old Polish man and a 49-year-old Lithuanian who had arrived to meet and collect the group, the Border Guard said. Army units and police were mobilised to search the surrounding area for those still missing.
Poland has faced an ongoing migration challenge on its frontier with Belarus since 2021. Warsaw accuses Belarus — and, by extension, its ally Russia — of encouraging migrants, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, to cross the border in an effort to destabilise Poland; both Belarus and Russia have repeatedly denied the allegations.
The Border Guard said this was the fourth tunnel uncovered this year in the western Podlaskie region. Poland began construction of a 180 km (110-mile) border fence in 2022 as part of efforts to reinforce the frontier.
What officials say: The Border Guard released the footage and a statement detailing the discovery and subsequent detentions, while security services continue to coordinate searches and investigations into how the tunnel was built and organised.
