Eleven people were allegedly organizing illegal migration from Belarus to Poland and Western Europe. Among them are citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Poland. All of them were detained by Podlasie border guards.
Nearly 120 Border Guard officers and representatives of Europol took part in the action. As part of the activities, 11 properties and several vehicles used by the detainees were searched, securing, among others, means of communication, computers, documents and PLN 80,000 in cash.
11 people suspected of organizing illegal migration from Belarus were detainedBorder Guard
The charges concern organizing other people to cross the border of the Republic of Poland – contrary to the regulations. The courts placed six people under arrest. As explained by the Border Guard, the vast majority of the detainees' role was to search for people in Poland who then transported migrants from the border area with Belarus to the German border.
Organized grid
In one of the cases, a citizen Russia – under the pretext of being conducted in Poland business activities in the form of car rental companies – he himself recruited such people and provided them with cars for transporting migrants.
According to the services' assessment, the dismantled criminal network may have transferred approximately 600 migrants. The cost of transporting one person was approximately EUR 5,000; drivers in Poland charged an additional EUR 500 from each migrant for transport to the destination in Western Europe.
11 people suspected of organizing illegal migration from Belarus were detainedBorder Guard
Illegal migration and detention
Since the beginning of the year, officers of the Podlasie Border Guard Branch have detained 321 organizers of illegal migration. The courts placed 66 of them under arrest.
11 people suspected of organizing illegal migration from Belarus were detainedBorder Guard
Europol – based in The Hague in Netherlands – supports the actions of EU Member States in the fight against terrorism, cybercrime and other forms of serious and organized crime. It also cooperates with many non-EU countries and international organizations.
The Border Guard reminded that for several months, Europol representatives have been supporting the activities of officers of the Podlaskie Branch of the Border Guard in the fight against illegal migration.
Main photo source: Border Guard