CSTO summed up the results of a regional operation to counter illegal migration “Nelegal - 2018”

As a result of the coordinated actions of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states, during the operation “Nelegal-2018”, over 143,000 violations of immigration legislation were identified, of which over 110,000 are related to violations of the procedure for entry, exit and stay of foreign citizens and over 33,000 are related to violations the established procedure for labor activity by migrants. For the organization of illegal migration, law enforcement agencies of the Member States of the Organization initiated 3,615 criminal cases. Practical measures to counter illegal migration in the format of the Organization in 2018 were first organized and held in the status of a permanent regional operation of the CSTO member states “Nelegal 2018”. In accordance with the Operational Plan, which was prepared and agreed upon by the International Headquarters on February 14, 2018, conducted by the competent authorities of the CSTO member states in two stages - from May 15 to 23 and from September 17 to 25. The intention of the operation envisaged the implementation of large-scale activities aimed at solving practical problems of identifying and suppressing channels of illegal migration, as well as other illegal acts related to illegal migration, improving the mechanisms of practical interaction between competent authorities at the national (interdepartmental) and regional (interstate) levels in the interests of planning and conduct coordinated activities to prevent, detect and suppress illegal migration and. The operation of the “Nelegal-2018” at the national level was carried out by specially created for this purpose inter-agency national headquarters under the guidance of members of the Coordination Council of the heads of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states on combating illegal migration. As a result of the consideration of cases on administrative offenses of migration legislation, law enforcement agencies involved in the operation imposed fines amounting to about $ 5 million, of which 61% were recovered during the active stages of the operation. In the course of the “Nelegal-2018”, 443 persons who were on the international wanted list were arrested, and 399 suspicious financial transactions made by foreign citizens in the amount exceeding 2 million US dollars were revealed . In addition, 5,398 criminal cases were initiated on other crimes identified in the course of “Nelegal-2018”, including those related to: - Drug trafficking - 2,665 cases; - with illegal arms trafficking - 343 cases; - with illegal crossing of the state border - 238 cases; - with crimes of an extremist nature and of a terrorist nature - 30 cases. According to the estimates of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states, the conduct of the regional operation Nelegal in 2018 contributed to the stabilization of the migration situation on the territory of the Organization's member states, including on the eve of the World Cup in the Russian Federation; curbing the channels of illegal migration, as well as other illegal acts associated with illegal migration; building a sustainable integrated system of national and regional security in the CSTO member states, as well as strengthening collective security in general.