Poland uncovers a channel for smuggling Ukrainians: drivers are suspected of the scheme
18 September 20:16
In Poland, border guards and police uncovered a channel for smuggling Ukrainians across the border.
According to Polish investigators, the scheme was organized by Ukrainian railroad workers who hid men in the locomotives of trains heading to Przemysl. This was reported by RFM24, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
A spokesman for the Border Guard Service said that the first facts of illegal transportation were recorded in 2024 at the Medyka checkpoint.
Who was detained
- Two Ukrainian traindrivers – they were accused of participating in an organized criminal group and organizing illegal border crossing.
- Thetwo Ukrainians who used the channel are already under investigation in Poland.
The accused drivers face up to 8 years in prison. They pleaded not guilty.
Instead, two Ukrainians who got to Poland this way confessed to the offense. They explained that they wanted to avoid mobilization in Ukraine.
How much did the “service” cost?
According to the prosecutor’s office, the railroaders charged at least $10,000 for each person they transported.
A spokeswoman for the district prosecutor’s office in Przemyśl said that the investigation is ongoing and that new suspects may appear in the case. The Polish side has already sent a request for legal assistance to Ukraine.
Response of the Ukrainian side
The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has confirmed its readiness to cooperate with Polish colleagues:
“We provide all the necessary information and assist the investigation in identifying all participants in the scheme. Illegal border crossing is a criminal offense, and we urge citizens to abide by the law,” the agency said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs also reported that it was conducting its own investigation in Ukraine into the Ukrainian railroad workers involved and checking for possible accomplices.
Why it matters
- With the outbreak of a full-scale war and the announcement of mobilization in Ukraine , tens of thousands of men are trying to go abroad to avoid service.
- Poland is one of the main countries through which Ukrainians are trying to get to the EU.
- The cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish law enforcement agencies demonstrates the desire to legally control the flow of people and counteract criminal schemes.
As a reminder, in 2023-2024, border guards in Romania and Slovakia repeatedly reported the detention of Ukrainians who tried to illegally cross the border.
In Ukraine, criminal schemes involving the forgery of medical certificates and “armor” to avoid mobilization are in place.
In May 2024, the SBU reported the exposure of a group that organized “trips” abroad through the Shlyakh system for 7-12 thousand dollars.
