During May 2026, Azerbaijani border authorities detained 211 individuals for violating border regime regulations, with appropriate legal measures initiated against them. This information was reported by the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing official data from the State Border Service (SBS).
According to the report, 20 individuals were apprehended specifically for violating the state border. The detainees included citizens from Iran (7), Azerbaijan (3), Morocco (2), Nigeria (2), Algeria (2), Afghanistan (1), Turkey (1), India (1), and Pakistan (1). Furthermore, as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal migration, authorities intercepted 9 individuals attempting to cross the border using forged date stamps, passports, or documents belonging to others.
The State Border Service continues to play a critical role in national security, managing the protection of Azerbaijan's borders and enforcing strict immigration and customs protocols. In addition to migration control, the agency reported significant successes in broader law enforcement operations during May. Authorities apprehended 316 individuals wanted by law enforcement and transferred them to relevant agencies. Additionally, border guards prevented 831 individuals with travel bans from leaving the country and blocked 8 individuals with entry bans from entering Azerbaijan.
The agency also intensified its crackdown on illicit trafficking. Operations resulted in the seizure of over 319 kilograms of narcotics and 7,338 psychotropic pills. In one instance, border guards successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle narcotics into the country via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Furthermore, anti-smuggling measures led to the confiscation of contraband valued at approximately 5.6 million manats, including foreign currency, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco products.
In a separate incident involving a border violation, authorities were forced to use service weapons in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On the State Border" after an individual disregarded lawful orders. Despite receiving immediate medical assistance and being evacuated to a specialized medical facility, the individual succumbed to their injuries.
