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Officers from Poland’s Border Guard detained members of an organized criminal group that dealt with the purchase, transport, manufacture and storage of cigarettes and raw tobacco

The members of the group imported tobacco from the Czech Republic and southern Poland, transported it to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship and distributed it there. In addition, the group obtained cigarettes smuggled out of Belarus and produced and marketed its own illegal tobacco products. Border Guard officers detained 5 people aged 40 to 55. Residential and utility rooms used by 4 men and a woman, residents of the Wielkopolskie, Lubuskie and Zachodniopomorskie voivodeships were also searched. The detainees were charged with participation in an organized criminal group engaged in the purchase, transportation, manufacture, storage and sale of illegal tobacco products. A preventive measure was imposed on them in the form of a ban on leaving the country and the police supervision prohibition.

In 2020, 8 people, including the organizer, were detained in the same case. However, in January this year. Another 12 people were detained for the case. From the beginning of the investigation conducted under the supervision of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Koszalin (December 2018), officers from the Warmia and Mazury OSG have secured cash in the amount of PLN 3.6 million and 6 vehicles worth over PLN half million for future penalties. Illegal cigarettes and raw tobacco were also secured. The value of the goods is estimated at PLN 5.6 million. 27 members of an organized crime group will stand trial. They are threatened with up to 5 years imprisonment, and the organizer is threatened with up to 10 years.