News

The Panevėžys Regional Court has concluded a criminal case in which a 31-year-old resident of Kaunas was found guilty of the illegal transportation of foreigners through Lithuanian territory. The court determined that the man, motivated by profit, agreed to transport seven migrants who had just survived a fatal car accident.

The criminal operation began on the evening of November 5, 2025. According to case files, a group of foreigners from Afghanistan and Pakistan paid organizers between $7,000 and $15,000 to illegally cross the Latvian border. Their first driver, a Latvian citizen driving a Volvo V40, lost control of the vehicle on the Juodupė–Aleknos road and overturned. The consequences were tragic: the driver died at the scene, and a critically injured Afghan national was left lying by the roadside. Despite sustaining various injuries themselves, the remaining seven migrants followed the guide's instructions and retreated into the forest, leaving behind their fellow traveler and the deceased driver. They were eventually discovered by a passing motorist who called for help.

While officers and paramedics worked at the crash site, the group in the forest received new coordinates. The following morning, the accused, M. Sabas, arrived to collect them in a rented Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

The defendant confessed that upon seeing the injured people in torn clothing, limping, he realized he was participating in a criminal act. However, for a promised reward of $1,000, he agreed to drive them toward Poland.

Law enforcement officers detained M. Sabas approximately 20 minutes after the journey began. Evidence found on his phone included "Signal" app messages with an individual named "Demon Dee," location links, and instructions to strictly avoid Panevėžys, Alytus, or Lazdijus, choosing instead rural roads toward Marijampolė.

Judge Jolanta Raščiuvienė stated that M. Sabas is a repeat offender – he committed the crime while holding an active criminal record and during a period of a suspended sentence.

By court order, he was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment. The court reduced the sentence by one-third (to one year) because the defendant confessed, expressed remorse, and the case was handled via an expedited evidence examination procedure. A penal measure was also imposed: the confiscation of €3,440 (matching the value of the van used in the crime) and the confiscation of his mobile phone.

The court emphasized that previous punishments had no impact on M. Sabas's behavior.

"The prison sentence for M. Sabas must be served in reality, as there are no grounds for a suspended sentence [...] the case shows that M. Sabas has repeatedly been granted suspended sentences, yet he continued to break the law. [...] M. Sabas's behavior during previous proceedings confirms his dismissive attitude toward the criminal processes against him and a flippant attitude toward his obligations and restrictions," the judge noted.

The court also ruled that M. Sabas must remain in custody until the verdict takes legal effect. Having established that he planned to leave for another country to visit his mother, the court believes the convict might hide to avoid serving his sentence.

The verdict of the Panevėžys Regional Court can be appealed to the Lithuanian Court of Appeal within 20 days.

When citing or otherwise distributing this information, please indicate the source of the information.

Contact for the media: