Mounted police chief denies his guilt and says he was framed

Consul of Lithuania in Hrodna Rimantas Latakas visited on the evening August 18 Laimonas Bankauskas detained in Belarus.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania confirmed this information. As BNS news service learnt from diplomatic sources, company commander of the municipal mounted police section at Vilnius County Police Headquarters denies the charges with drug smuggling, ru.DELFI.lt reports.

“We will watch the process closely and seek ensuring the rights of the detainee. We are ready to provide all kinds of consular help,” MFA spokesman Rolandas Kacinskas told BNS. He didn’t say details of the meeting between Latakas and Bankauskas.

According to Kacinskas, diplomats asked to create suitable conditions in the detention facility taking into account the detainee’s special status.

Lithuanain Consul in Hrodna Rimantas Latakas told Panorama news programme on LTV Bankauskas said he wasn’t guilty.

“He pleads not guilty. In his opinion, drugs or whatever it was were planted on him. He saw that pouch, he says. The man persists in his opinion. He thinks he was framed,” the diplomat said.

Bankauskas sent a letter to his family via Latakas.

Russian Interfax news agency reported Belarusian border officers had found 45.5 grams of amphetamine on the Lithuanian policeman detained on Monday afternoon.

According to Uladzimir Danilevich, an officer of the Ashmyany customs house, the man was trying to bring the drugs in Belarus (it was reported earlier that the police officer was detained when leaving Belarus).

According to preliminary data, Bankauskas is suspected of violation article 228 of the Criminal Code (drug smuggling). He may face from 3 to 7 years of imprisonment if it is found he was alone.