Polish authorities arrested a 27-year-old Moldovan citizen in Ukraine suspected of coordinating the illegal transport of migrants across the Polish border.
Border Guard Investigation Leads to Arrest
The Podlaski Border Guard initiated the search for the 27-year-old. He was apprehended in Ukraine after being wanted by Polish services.
According to Border Guard spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Katarzyna Zdanowicz, the suspect, having resided in Poland, Egypt, Moldova, and Ukraine, tasked others with recruiting drivers – known as “couriers.”
Smuggling Operation Details
These drivers were responsible for collecting migrants who had illegally crossed the Belarus-Poland border and transporting them towards the German border. The suspect personally recruited the couriers and coordinated their routes.
At least 124 individuals are confirmed to have crossed the border as part of this operation, including citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Chad, and Sudan.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The suspect denies the charges, and a court in Bielsko Podlaska has extended his detention. To date, prosecutors have charged eighteen individuals, including foreign nationals.
Initial arrests occurred in spring 2024 with the apprehension of a courier transporting migrants. Subsequent arrests targeted other organizers, with some cases already resulting in convictions.
The investigation revealed the suspect utilized at least five intermediaries, and at least 22 drivers were involved in transporting the migrants.
