Polish authorities have detained three men, including two Belarusians with residence permits, on suspicion of large-scale tobacco smuggling across the border using drones. They face serious penalties and even deportation.
The Polish Border Guard has successfully disrupted the activities of smugglers using drones to transport goods from Belarus. During the operation, three men suspected of being involved in this scheme were detained. They face up to three years in prison, as reported by Polsat News.
Operation Details
Border guard officers in Bobrowniki acted swiftly, capturing two Belarusian citizens and one Polish citizen. They were attempting to retrieve smuggled goods that had been delivered across the border by drones.
During the inspection, a substantial cargo was discovered – four packages of cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps. The estimated value of this illegal goods is assessed at 95,000 zlotys, which is a significant amount.
Serious Charges and Possible Consequences
The suspects have been charged under several articles, including the Criminal Code on tax offenses. They are also accused of violations of the law on special measures against aggression towards Ukraine, national security protection, and aviation law.
For these serious offenses, the men face a penalty of imprisonment for no less than three years. Currently, all suspects are in custody for three months, awaiting further proceedings.
It is noteworthy that the detained Belarusian citizens held permanent residence permits in Poland. The head of the border unit in Bobrowniki intends to petition the voivode for the annulment of these permits, which could ultimately lead to their deportation from the country.
Scale of the Problem
Since the beginning of the current year, over 4.2 million zlotys worth of cigarettes delivered by air from Belarus have been intercepted in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. During this period, 19 people involved in such smuggling have already been detained.
It is worth reminding that Polish military previously recorded the intrusion of unidentified objects from Belarus into the country's airspace on the night of January 30 to 31. At that time, to ensure safety, flights of civil aviation over the Podlaskie Voivodeship were temporarily restricted.
