Sharp Drop in Foreign Suspects in Poland, but Colombian Crime Numbers Surge

Official police data shows the number of foreign nationals suspected of committing crimes in Poland dropped by nearly 10 percent in the first half of 2026, contrasting with a rapid rise in suspects from Colombia.

Decline in Foreign Suspects Overall

The number of foreigners suspected of committing crimes in Poland has dropped clearly. In the first half of 2026, there were nearly 10 percent fewer suspects compared to the previous year. Data from the National Police Headquarters, cited by “Rzeczpospolita,” shows a significant shift in statistics regarding foreign suspects. In the first six months of 2026, 8,534 such individuals were recorded, which is nearly 800 fewer than in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a decrease of about 9 percent. However, the data does not show a uniform trend across all nationalities, as crime scales decrease among two large groups while growing rapidly among Colombian citizens.

Decreases Among Ukrainian and Georgian Nationals

Ukrainian citizens remain the largest group of foreigners in police statistics, reflecting their status as the largest foreign community in Poland. In the first half of 2026, the number of Ukrainian citizens suspected of crimes stood at 5,045, which is 563 fewer than the 5,608 recorded in the same period of the previous year, marking a drop of about 10 percent. An even larger change occurred among Georgian citizens. In the first half of 2026, police statistics included 623 individuals with Georgian citizenship, down from 899 the previous year, representing a decrease of 276 individuals or over 30 percent.

Deportations and Schengen Entry Bans

“Rzeczpospolita,” citing sources related to the police and Border Guard, indicates that one factor influencing these results may be the consistent deportation of foreigners whose behavior is deemed a threat to security or public order. Such return decisions can be accompanied by multi-year re-entry bans to Poland and other Schengen area states. These procedures are not merely declarative; the Border Guard regularly reports on foreigners expelled from Poland after breaking the law. In June 2026, officers forcibly escorted a 57-year-old Ukrainian citizen to the border because his continued stay was considered a threat to public order, and the man received a five-year re-entry ban.

Border Control and SIS Implementation

The state also utilizes the Schengen Information System (SIS), allowing border authorities to detain individuals listed as undesirable. The Border Guard reported in July 2026 that over a single weekend at Warsaw Chopin Airport, entry was refused to 18 foreigners, including citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, and Colombia, due to missing documents, exceeded stay limits, or SIS records. The scale of residency legality checks is much broader; Interior Ministry data shows the Border Guard detained 10,342 foreigners for residency violations in 2023, 12,450 in 2024, and 13,566 in 2025, with another 3,461 detained between January 1 and March 15, 2026, largely comprising citizens of Georgia, Ukraine, Colombia, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Uzbekistan, and India.

Rapid Rise in Colombian Suspects

Against the overall decline, data concerning Colombian citizens stands out. Just a few years ago, they were a very small group in police records, with only seven Colombian suspects in all of 2022, rising to 22 in 2023, 127 in 2024, and 324 in 2025. Meanwhile, in the first six months of 2026 alone, police recorded 239 Colombian citizens suspected of crimes, nearly 74 percent of the total figure for all of 2025. While half-year figures cannot be directly compared to full-year data, the current momentum indicates a clear upward trend. Prof. Tomasz Safjański of the WSB University in Dąbrowa Górnicza notes that this rapid growth among a relatively small population of Colombians in Poland warrants service analysis and calls for more effective migration controls.

Colombian Nationals Under Border Guard Scrutiny

Colombian citizens are also increasingly appearing in Border Guard reports regarding residency violations. In May 2026, during the “Safe Transport” operation in Warsaw, officers detained three foreigners operating paid transport services—citizens of Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Colombia—none of whom held a valid visa or legal residence document. Detainees faced administrative procedures resulting in orders to leave Poland and Schengen re-entry bans lasting from six months to a year. In another case in late May, Warsaw airport officials denied entry to 16 foreigners over a single weekend, including Colombians, primarily due to a lack of documents confirming the purpose and conditions of their planned stay.

Types of Crimes and Context of Statistics

The structure of offenses attributed to foreigners varies and is not limited to serious criminal acts. According to “Rzeczpospolita,” the most common categories include driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, drug possession, theft, fraud, and failure to comply with previously issued penalties. Consequently, suspect numbers require careful interpretation, as statistics cover various prohibited acts, suspect status does not equal a final conviction, and comparisons require matching suspect counts against the actual population of a given nationality residing in Poland. The primary shift in the first half of 2026 remains the drop in total foreign suspects to 8,534, nearly one-tenth lower than the previous year, even as Colombian figures run contrary to this trend amid rising migration from that direction.