During the last 24 hours, officers of the Podlaskie Border Guard Division have thwarted 31 attempts at illegally crossing the Polish-Belarusian border. As a result of their actions, two couriers transporting illegal migrants and three guides responsible for leading people from Belarus to Poland were detained.
In the town of Kleszczele, officers arrested a 46-year-old Belarusian citizen who was transporting three Afghans in his car, who had illegally entered Polish territory. Another courier, also from Belarus, was detained in Bielsk Podlaski. The 20-year-old was attempting to transport two Syrians to Germany.
In the Border Guard Facility in Białowieża, three citizens of Tajikistan, known as guides, were detained, whose task was to introduce migrants into Polish territory where couriers were waiting for them. The migrants who tried to illegally cross the border yesterday came from countries such as Somalia, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, and Morocco.
Similar incidents took place in the areas under the responsibility of the Border Guard Facilities in Narewka, Białowieża, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Czeremcha, and Mielnik. Since the beginning of the year, over 5,500 migrants have attempted to illegally cross the border from Belarus to Poland, with more than 2,500 attempts in March and over 400 since the beginning of April.
Transporting illegal migrants is not a new phenomenon, but after political and economic changes, Poland has become a dynamically developing country, increasingly treated on par with Western Europe, making it an attractive destination for immigrants from beyond the eastern border.
Few immigrants attempt to travel to Poland or Western Europe independently. Most of them rely on the help of organized criminal groups, which operate in a manner characteristic of criminal structures. Illegal immigration can pose a threat of terrorism, foster the emergence of organized criminal groups, smuggling of dangerous goods, drugs, and lead to an increase in the overall level of crime.
Polish authorities and law enforcement agencies are making every effort to combat the phenomenon of illegal immigration and crimes related to human smuggling. International cooperation, especially with neighboring countries, plays a key role in addressing this issue. These actions aim not only to secure Poland’s borders but also to protect human rights and combat the exploitation of migrants by criminal groups.
Border control, detaining carriers and guides, and cooperating with law enforcement agencies from other countries are some of the methods used to counter illegal immigration. As Poland and Europe continue to struggle with the migration issue, it is important to continue efforts to ensure security and protect human rights.
Source: https://www.strazgraniczna.pl/pl/aktualnosci/11580,Raport-z-granicy.html
