The State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan has detained 17 individuals for attempting to violate the state border during operations conducted in January 2026. The measures were part of ongoing efforts to ensure the reliable protection of the country's borders and to combat smuggling, illegal migration, and drug trafficking.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that according to official data, the detainees included six citizens of Algeria, four of Azerbaijan, four of Iraq, and three of Pakistan. In separate operations against illegal migration, three individuals were apprehended for attempting to cross the border using forged date stamps, falsified passports, or documents belonging to others.
The report further detailed that 117 people were penalized for violating border regime rules. Law enforcement agencies also detained 302 wanted persons, handing them over to relevant authorities. Additionally, border officials prevented 599 individuals with exit bans from leaving Azerbaijan and blocked the entry of eight individuals prohibited from entering the country.
In the fight against narcotics, the State Border Service intercepted two attempts to smuggle drugs into Azerbaijan using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). In total, 120.645 kilograms of various narcotic substances were seized and removed from illegal circulation during the reporting period. Furthermore, smuggled goods worth approximately 6.57 million manats, including a pneumatic pistol, medical supplies, and tobacco products, were confiscated.
The State Border Service of Azerbaijan continues to implement comprehensive operational and technical measures to ensure the security of the national frontiers. These efforts are part of a broader national strategy to strengthen border infrastructure and enhance surveillance capabilities, particularly in liberated territories and along strategic transit routes, to prevent transnational organized crime and ensure regional stability.
