Poznań, Wrocław. Gang of fraudsters busted. 15 people were detained

The case began at the end of September 2023, when fraudsters called two people in Poznań and, under the pretext of protecting money that was allegedly at risk, persuaded the victims to transfer a total of nearly PLN 50,000. zlotys.

The case was handled by police officers from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań. – One collection took place in the victim's apartment, the other took place in a shopping mall, where the person withdrew his savings from his bank account – explains the operational officer of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań.

First, they had to determine the identity of people who may be involved in this procedure. – The result of their work was the transfer of the information obtained to German policemen – says Maciej Święcichowski from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań.

The findings showed that three people were in Germany and were involved in subsequent frauds there. On October 31 last year, they were detained in this country shortly after receiving EUR 25,000 from a defrauded person.

Another two people were detained on March 25, they had nearly PLN 36,000 in their possession. PLN taken from another cheated person. – The arrest took place on the train while returning from the operation. Currently, this issue is being dealt with by the District Prosecutor's Office in Świnoujście – explains Święcichowski.

The District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań initiated an investigation into the case. – These two events in Poznań allowed us to find the perpetrators who lived in Wrocław. Work on this group lasted about half a year – reveals the operational officer of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań.

Warrants were issued to arrest additional selected people. They took place on April 23 in Wrocław, Warsaw and Gdańsk. – The police detained 15 people. The detainees included people who received the money, but also couriers and people responsible for planning these crimes, Święcichowski enumerates.

During the searches, the police seized mobile phones, SIM cards, ATM cards and various types of drugs.

– Detained members of an organized criminal group cheated using the most popular fraud methods, such as policeman fraud, lawyer fraud and accident fraud. During the conversation, they always put time pressure on the interlocutor and convinced him to give the money to a stranger, leave it in a designated place, or even throw it out the window – explains Święcichowski.

Those detained were charged with fraud, some of them were also charged with participating in an organized criminal group. At the request of the District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań, the court applied a preventive measure in the form of temporary arrest to 7 people. The suspects face up to 8 years in prison for these crimes.