A reader wrote to the editorial office: “I have the undeniable impression that Bolesławiec is a city of drug users and dealers; I keep reading such news from you.” We asked the Bolesławiec police station and the Provincial Police Headquarters whether this really is such a major problem. (We reported on the situation in Bolesławiec County in the article Is Bolesławiec a city of drug users and dealers?).
“The phenomenon of drug-related crime in Lower Silesia looks similar to that in other regions of the country,” notes Staff Sergeant Paweł Petrykowski, spokesperson for the Wrocław Provincial Police Headquarters. “What is significant in this case, however, is the activity of the services combating this type of crime. In 2016, the effectiveness of the Lower Silesian Police’s efforts to combat drug-related crime increased once again. The officers’ commitment led to the detection of 6% more such crimes and the apprehension of their perpetrators.
He adds: “As a result of the operations carried out, a total of 82 cannabis plantations were shut down and 11,100 plants were seized; two laboratories where narcotic substances were produced were also dismantled.
In 2016, officers in Lower Silesia seized nearly 0.5 tonnes of various types of drugs in total, including marijuana, amphetamine, methamphetamine, hashish, heroin and cocaine.