A court in Legnica has sentenced members of an organised criminal group that smuggled migrants across the Polish-Belarusian border into Germany, as well as along the Balkan route. The group transported at least 100 people into the European Union, the Polish Border Guard said.
The scheme came to light in 2023, when border guards from Legnica stopped a courier on the A4 motorway who was transporting several migrants. Further investigation led to the detention of the remaining members of the group. To make tracking more difficult, the group used rented vehicles. One of those detained was a Polish citizen suspected of leading the group.
The group consisted of 10 people in total. Six of them had already admitted guilt and accepted punishment during previous proceedings. The remaining four were sentenced now. The leader of the group was sentenced to eight years in prison, while three couriers received 18-month prison terms each. The ruling has not yet entered into legal force.
