Among those identified or detained were 8 Ukrainians, 6 Georgians, 4 Russians, 4 Vietnamese, 3 Pakistani citizens, 1 Swedish citizen, 1 Lithuanian and 6 Poles.

Officers from Świecko and the Joint German-Polish Facility in Ludwigsdorf-Zgorzelec prevented successive groups of foreigners from illegally crossing Poland’s western border. In Jędrzychowice, just before the border, a total of six Georgians and four Russians of Azerbaijani nationality were detained. They were travelling to Germany in two vans. Some of them did not have documents. The foreigners had previously applied for residence in Poland, but instead of waiting for a decision from the competent authorities, they decided to seek a better life across Poland’s western border.

Four foreigners detained in Świecko late on Saturday evening were Vietnamese citizens. They were travelling in a passenger Opel, and none of them had documents. The driver of the car, a resident of the Silesian Voivodeship, was also detained for providing assistance in illegally crossing the border.

On Saturday, officers from Zgorzelec also detained three Pakistanis. At the end of July, they had flown to Poland to visit friends in Podkarpackie. However, after the period of stay specified in their visas had expired, they did not return to Pakistan but decided to go to France and settle there. They were detained on a scheduled coach travelling to Paris.

At the Border Guard post in Zgorzelec, the Pakistanis submitted applications for refugee status. They received documents allowing them to stay in Poland. They will await a decision on their applications at the Centre for Foreigners in Podkowa Leśna–Dębak.

Over the past weekend, officers from posts in Zgorzelec, Wrocław, Poznań and Kłodzko checked a total of 8 Ukrainian citizens. Five of them were staying in Poland illegally, while the other three had fraudulently obtained visas at Ukrainian consulates. They used visas authorising them to work legally in Poland for other purposes. The foreigners will have to return to their country.

Officers from the Border Guard post in Kalisz detained a 32-year-old Lithuanian citizen near the toll collection point in Lądek on the A2 motorway. The man presented a forged driving licence for inspection. The Lithuanian admitted to the alleged offence, namely using a forged Lithuanian driving licence; he also expressed his willingness to voluntarily submit to a fine of PLN 1,500.

Kalisz officers, also on the A2 motorway, stopped a passenger car driven by a Swedish citizen for inspection. The woman did not have an identity document, such as an identity card or passport, only a Swedish driving licence and an insurance document. As she had crossed the border without the required documents, she was fined. After checking the person and vehicle, the officers allowed the Swedish woman to continue travelling to her place of residence.

Over the past weekend, officers of the Nadodrzański Border Guard Unit from posts in Świecko and Kłodzko also detained three Polish citizens who possessed drugs. Meanwhile, officers from Poznań–Ławica found brass knuckles in the luggage of a 23-year-old Pole. Although the brass knuckles were attached to a strap as a buckle, the officers determined that the item bore the characteristics of a bladed weapon, and that the man did not have a permit to possess it or take it abroad. The item was seized, and proceedings for an offence will be initiated against the traveller. The man received a summons to appear and was able to continue his journey.

At Wrocław–Strachowice Airport, a 22-year-old Polish citizen was detained. The reason was that the man was wanted by a Wrocław court. The detainee had not paid a fine for driving without a licence, and the court had ordered him to serve a substitute detention sentence. Since the court had also left open the option of paying the fine, this time the man readily took advantage of that option and was able to return home freely.

(Nadodrzański OSG/ii)