Last year, border guards detained 649 people who crossed the Lithuanian border illegally. There were 406 trespassers detained in 2011 and 301 in 2010.
The majority of trespassers were busted on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border – 445. The number was up from 265 in 2011 and 145 in 2010.
The number of trespassers on the Lithuanian-Russian border continues to decrease, with 67 people detained last year, compared to 87 in 2011 and 119 in 2010.
Meanwhile the number of Georgian citizens illegally crossing Lithuania's border is still growing. Lithuanian border guards detained 269 Georgians last year, compared to 139 in 2011 and 51 in 2010.
The number of Lithuanian trespassers remains barely unchanged, with 139 detained last year and 128 in 2011.
Lithuanian border guards also detained 85 Vietnamese nationals last year, 54 Afghanistan citizens, 36 Russians, 19 Belarusians, and 11 people from Lebanon. All in all, people from 23 countries and one person without citizenship were detained last year.
The total number of trespassing incidents rose by almost a tenth last year. There were 457 incidents recorded, up by 8.8 percent compared to 2011. There were 420 such incidents in 2010.
Pursuant to the Penal Code of the Republic of Lithuania, a person who illegally crosses the state border of the Republic of Lithuania can be punished by a fine or by arrest or by imprisonment for a term of up to two years.
