Latvia: State Border Guard deploys sound devices for deterrence

Latvia’s State Border Guard (VRS) has procured high-power speaker devices meant for psychological deterrence, LETA reports. VRS purchased the sound devices from Lithuania’s NT Service for around EUR 150,000. VRS has deployed the devices to Latvia’s eastern border to deter the illegal entry of large groups of people into the country. The non-lethal devices can emit sound at a volume of 80 decibels at a distance of up to 800 metres, causing great discomfort and psychological impact. Earlier, the Ministry of Interior reported that groups of people continued to cause mass disturbances and damage to infrastructure on the border with Belarus with the aim of entering Latvia illegally.