DrugsSmuggling

Another criminal group is broken

The indictment against 10 members of an organized criminal group dealing in smuggling of tobacco products ends the investigation conducted by Border Guard officers from Zgorzelec under the supervision of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra.

The gang that was broken up by the Border Guard operated from 2018 to the beginning of 2020. In August 2019, Border Guard officers from Zgorzelec revealed over 1.8 million cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps in one of the vehicles checked. In the course of the activities, it was found that they were smuggled to Poland from Lithuania, and then transported by buses to the territory of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship. Ultimately, they ended up in the Czech Republic and Germany or were traded in Poland. The group was also involved in the production of tobacco products. During over a dozen searches, vehicles of various brands, computer equipment, several dozen telephones, money and other items of probative value were discovered and detained. Property estimated at nearly PLN 2 million has been secured for future penalties.

The investigators’ findings allowed for the presentation of charges against 12 members of this group, several of whom were charged with leading a criminal group and possessing firearms. The court applied temporary arrest against 6 people. In June 2020, the Prosecutor of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra brought two indictments against 10 members of this group. The investigation is still ongoing against the two suspects. They are residents of the Podlaskie and Dolnośląskie Voivodeships aged 32 to 44. Due to illegal import, export and processing of excise goods, they exposed the State Treasury to depletion due to unpaid excise duty and VAT in the amount of nearly PLN 45 million. Fiscal offenses committed and leading a criminal group may be punished with up to 8 years imprisonment.