In terms of airport security, we usually worry about someone smuggling weapons or drugs, not one’s own 30 year old Russian wife! But a Frenchman in recent news tried to do exactly that when he tried to smuggle his spouse onto a train, into the EU from Moscow.
The 60-year-old Frenchman and much younger Russian bride had quite the story to tell when he was arrested by Polish border patrol in the city of Terespol, close to the country of Belarus.
Officials noticed the man traveling with an abnormally large suitcase, and went in to investigate. Upon investigation they were shocked to find the man’s wife nestled inside.
Border patrol spokesman Dariusz Sienicki said the couple, who were married only one year ago in 2014, were on their way to the French city of Nice from Moscow, Russia by way of train. Sienicki said in an interview with news outlet DW,“To [the guards’] surprise, a woman in her 30s emerged. It was the Russian wife of the owner of the suitcase. She was alive and well and didn’t require medical attention.”
Supposedly the two were actually married, so suspicions of human trafficking were not alleged.
The most ironic part of the runaway border jumping couple was that their behavior was totally unnecessary. The woman would have been fine riding the train normally, because current international law states that a citizen can enter the region without a passport if they are indeed married to a European citizen. Poland, as well as France, falls within an area of 26 countries called the Schengen area that does not have passport checks at its borders and allows free travel.
The couple may have saved a ticket for the would be 47 hour ride, had they completed their journey, but now their concerns are more of the legal variety. Both partners are facing up to three years jail time for purposefully evading border control. As things stand now, the two have been released and allowed to return to the country of Belarus. There they will have some time to reflect on their crime, and perhaps read a little bit more of international policy before taking their next journey.
