AFHGAN ILLEGAL MIGRATION CORRIDOR THROUGH ESTONIA

UNCLAS TALLINN 000237

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS SMIG PHUM PREF KFRD KCRM EN
SUBJECT: AFHGAN ILLEGAL MIGRATION CORRIDOR THROUGH ESTONIA

1) Summary: In the last 6 months, Afghan nationals have started
using Estonia as a corridor to enter illegally the Schengen zone,
primarily to reach Nordic countries perceived to be "asylum-
friendly." While the Estonian Border Guard (EBG) has successfully
interdicted several groups of Afghans, it readily admits that others
have slipped through the cracks. Those Afghans who have been
apprehended appear to be well-moneyed and have been utilizing Azeri
migration facilitators. EBG officials point to anecdotal evidence of

similar up-ticks in Afghan migration through Latvia and Finland. End

Summary.

2) On July 24, Embassy Tallinn's Vice Consul met with Indrek Jogi,
head of the Estonian Border Guard's Intelligence Unit, to discuss
recent media reports detailing a rash of Afghan nationals illegally
migrating through Estonia. Jogi confirmed that, over the last three
months, 17 Afghans have been detained for unlawfully entering
Estonia, while others have successfully transited through Estonia and

are presumed to have reached Sweden or Finland. Both destinations
are easily accessible by ferry from Estonia. Those managing to enter

Estonian territory are crossing over from Russia along Estonia's
Southeastern border -- a heavily forested region which both Estonian
and Russian border guards find difficult to monitor.

3) Jogi detailed five specific cases involving Afghans, and he noted
that there are further cases that he could not discuss. On May 20,
the Russian Border Guard (RBG) informed the EBG about five potential
border crossings into Estonia. This information was gleaned from
footprints in a sand stripe on the Russian side of the border, used
to monitor illegal traffic. Shortly thereafter, Swedish authorities
informed the EBG that nine asylum-seeking Afghans were detained on a
ferry from Tallinn arriving in Stockholm. These nine Afghans were
returned to Estonia where they, subsequently, requested asylum. Each

of the nine individuals was using an Afghan passport with a forged,
French Schengen visa. EBG's follow-up interviews with the detainees
suggest that there were seven other Afghans aboard the same ferry,
all of whom presumably managed to enter Sweden.

4) On May 26, the RBG apprehended three Afghans trying to swim across

the Narva River into Estonia. The following week, the EBG
apprehended five Afghans, illegally present in Estonia, along with
two migration facilitators. The Afghans were returned to Russia,
while the facilitators are currently in Estonian custody and awaiting

criminal proceedings. Jogi stated that the facilitators were
Estonian citizens of Azeri origin. He also explained that the EBG
believes these facilitators are part of an Azeri organized crime
syndicate run out of Pskov and Moscow.

5) On June 28, the EBG was once again alerted by the RBG of
footprints along the Southern border. [Comment: The high degree of
cooperation between the EBG and the RBG, as expressed by Jogi, is
noteworthy. MFA sources have also praised the strong and regular
cooperation between Estonian and Russian border guards. End
Comment]. Following this tip, the EBG apprehended three Afghans in
the Tallinn Harbor, who were waiting to board a ferry. These
individuals had ferry tickets purchased for them by their Azeri
facilitators. Most recently, on July 9, four Syrians were
interdicted at Tallinn Harbor. These four immediately requested
asylum in Estonia. In follow-up interviews with EBG, the Syrians
noted that they were aware of at least two Afghan nationals who had
boarded a ferry for Stockholm the same day.

6) The going price for a facilitator and transit into and through
Estonia ranges from USD 7000-9000. Accordingly, Jogi believes that
the Afghans whom the EBG has encountered are educated and moneyed.
He corroborates this theory by highlighting that most have been
traveling with electronic gadgets generally out of reach to most
Afghan citizens: mobile phones, mp3 players, etc. Jogi also
underscored that those who have been arrested expressed economic
motivations for their actions. While Sweden has until now been the
principal destination country for Afghans due to perceptions of its
"asylum friendly" policies, Jogi expects them to start traveling
toward Finland more often as the journey is faster and provides more

options for onward travel. Jogi also noted that his contacts in the
Finnish and Latvian Border Guards have revealed similar trends in
Afghan migration patterns.

7) Conclusion: It would appear that Estonia is becoming established
as a viable migration corridor for Afghan nationals who wish to reach

asylum-friendly Nordic countries, and that similar routes may be
appearing via Russia through both Latvia and Finland. The relative
affluence of the Afghans caught transiting Estonia may suggest that
the Baltic corridor to the Nordic countries is the route of choice
for those with the ability to pay.
DECKER