European border authorities have uncovered a network of tunnels allegedly used to smuggle migrants from Belarus into neighboring EU countries, with claims of state involvement in their construction.

Authorities in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have discovered multiple tunnels along their borders with Belarus, reportedly used to facilitate illegal migration into the European Union. According to internal analyses by the EU border agency, Frontex, these tunnels could not have been built without the knowledge and support of Belarusian state entities. The agency suggests that the Belarusian government may have employed specialists and even migrants to construct the tunnels.

The issue gained further attention last week when Latvian officials identified their first such tunnel near the closed Silene border crossing. The passage reportedly allowed 15 migrants to enter Latvia. Similar tunnels have been uncovered in recent months along Belarus’s borders with Lithuania and Poland, raising concerns about a coordinated effort to exploit migration as a geopolitical tool.

While the overall number of irregular border crossings into the EU has decreased by 44% in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year, Frontex warns that Belarus continues to actively facilitate and manage migration flows. Enhanced border security measures, including fences, have made crossings more difficult, but the emergence of tunnels highlights increasingly sophisticated tactics. Frontex has urged EU nations to remain vigilant as the pressure on eastern borders persists.