In a coordinated operation from 14 to 16 October 2024, Polish border and law enforcement agencies, supported by Europol and a multinational Operational Task Force, successfully disrupted a migrant smuggling network operating from Belarus and Russia into the EU via Poland. The network included Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian nationals recruiting drivers to illegally transport migrants from the Belarusian border into Poland and onward mainly to Germany. Migrants primarily originated from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, traveling legally to Belarus via Russia before crossing into Poland illegally. The smuggling involved fees of approximately EUR 5,000 per migrant, sometimes paid in cryptocurrency, plus an extra EUR 500 to local drivers. The operation led to 11 arrests and 11 searches across Poland, uncovering significant equipment and cash. Europol coordinated and analyzed data, revealing complex criminal hierarchies and the role of non-EU nationals as drivers due to lower charges. The case highlights intensified smuggling activity along Eastern European routes in recent years and the effective international cooperation tackling it.

In a coordinated operation from 14 to 16 October 2024, Polish border and law enforcement agencies, supported by Europol and a multinational Operational Task Force, successfully disrupted a migrant smuggling network operating from Belarus and Russia into the EU via Poland. The network included Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian nationals recruiting drivers to illegally transport migrants from the Belarusian border into Poland and onward mainly to Germany. Migrants primarily originated from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, traveling legally to Belarus via Russia before crossing into Poland illegally. The smuggling involved fees of approximately EUR 5,000 per migrant, sometimes paid in cryptocurrency, plus an extra EUR 500 to local drivers. The operation led to 11 arrests and 11 searches across Poland, uncovering significant equipment and cash. Europol coordinated and analyzed data, revealing complex criminal hierarchies and the role of non-EU nationals as drivers due to lower charges. The case highlights intensified smuggling activity along Eastern European routes in recent years and the effective international cooperation tackling it.