International actions by border guards and law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of 25 organizers of human trafficking

Polish Border guards from the Border Guard post in Terespol (Bug Branch of the Border Guard) have collected evidence clearly indicating the functioning of an international organized crime group. Its members organized people to cross the Polish-Belarusian state border. An Iraqi citizen and four Poles were detained in the case. They were responsible, among other things, for transporting foreigners to a town near Warsaw, where they awaited transport to Western European countries. The Iraqi and one of the Poles were temporarily arrested.

Over 50 Border Guard officers and 3 Finnish Border Guard officers participated in the operation. A Mercedes passenger car and collections of branded watches and glasses worth a total of PLN 204,000 were secured against future penalties.

Another organizer of illegal migration, operating on the Polish-Belarusian smuggling route, was detained in Birmingham, UK, based on the European Arrest Warrant and Interpol Red Notice. The operation was carried out by officers of the Podlaskie Border Guard Unit from the Border Guard Post in Narewka, together with the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the UK. The 35-year-old was involved in organizing illegal border crossings via the Belarus-Poland-Western European channel for people from Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan, among others. In total, over 30 officers participated in the operation, including three from the Polish Border Guard. The suspect will be transferred to Poland in the near future. The Iraqi will face Polish justice and will be held accountable for leading an international criminal group. The investigation is supervised by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Białystok. Officers from the Border Guard Post in Narewka detained a total of 9 organizers of illegal border crossings in this case.