Latvian murder suspect arrested in Poland

Following a lengthy investigation, a Latvian national suspected of several murders has been arrested in Poland with Europol’s support.

Updated: The 33 year old man has been wanted for three years by Latvian law enforcement authorities for committing several murders and being part of an organised crime group. He was thought to be living in Poland for the last year, where he frequently changed his address, appearance, mobile phone numbers and vehicles to avoid detection by authorities. However, police identified the fugitive, who was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant, and placed the suspect under surveillance.

In the early hours of 3 March 2013, he was arrested in Bialystok, Poland. He was carrying a false identity and was unarmed. The individual is a former Latvian police officer. He is currently in detention, awaiting prosecution.

During the operation the Polish officers were in touch with their counterparts in Latvia, Lithuania and Europol, who coordinated the multilateral operation between the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBS), the Unit for International Cooperation, Fugitives Unit and Special Operational Department (Surveillance and SWAT-Team).