Major SG Joanna Konieczniak, press spokesperson for the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit:
The year 2021 was another year in which officers of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit were involved in efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, as well as in preventing and counteracting illegal migration. The additional duties imposed on the unit, primarily connected with the opening of additional facilities at the NoOSG Guarded Centre in Wędrzyn, had a major impact on the performance of its tasks.
How many people did the officers detain, and why?
Throughout 2021, officers of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit detained 3,422 people, including 2,598 for illegal migration. As in previous years, citizens of Ukraine, Syria, Russia, Georgia and Iraq predominated among the detained foreigners.
Last year, officers from Nadodrze Border Guard Unit posts also carried out 3,428 checks on the legality of foreigners’ stay in Poland. The spokesperson said:
Within the area of official responsibility of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit, namely in Lubusz, Greater Poland and Lower Silesian Voivodeships, 2,215 foreigners were ordered to return during this period, representing a 40% increase compared with the previous year.
Who most often violated the residence regulations in Poland?
The foreigners who most often violated residence regulations in our country were citizens of Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Georgia and Russia.
In most cases, the detained foreigners did not have the documents required to stay in Poland. However, from mid-2021, foreigners were detained who had illegally crossed the border with Belarus and reached Lithuania, Latvia or Poland directly.
(After successfully crossing the border with Belarus, the foreigners boarded cargo vans at an agreed location in order to secretly cross the Polish-German border illegally).
Who helped people cross the border illegally?
The officers also detained 69 people, who were charged with aiding illegal border crossings. They were mostly citizens of Ukraine, Iraq, Tajikistan, Georgia and Poland. They were said to collect several hundred euros for transporting foreigners. As a result, all of them were placed in pre-trial detention for three months.
Checks on the legality of foreigners’ employment
Throughout 2021, Border Guard officers also carried out 253 checks on the legality of foreigners’ employment, which proved effective in 248 cases. As a result of these actions, it was established that 606 citizens of third countries were working in violation of the regulations in force in Poland.
Not only detentions and checks
Major SG J. Konieczniak: – Officers from Nadodrze Border Guard Unit posts also conducted 5,545 community interviews concerning 2,034 foreigners and gave their opinions on applications from 70,845 foreigners seeking residence permits in Poland. They also regularly provided the relevant voivodes with information about foreigners who might pose a potential threat to public safety and order.
She added:
In 2021, NoOSG officers also issued 247 decisions refusing entry into Poland at airports (compared with 144 in 2020). The main reason for refusing entry into the country was the lack of a valid visa, residence document or supplementary documents.
Serious incidents at airports
It is worth noting that officers from the Special Interventions Team also intervened 37 times in response to passengers joking about bombs, as well as aggressive and intoxicated passengers. Border Guard officers at airports also carried out procedural activities involving eight travellers who intended to take ammunition and other prohibited items on board an aircraft in their hand luggage.
How many visas were revoked?
Since the beginning of 2021, officers have invalidated or revoked the visas of 382 foreigners (169 at the Border Guard post in Kłodzko and 109 in Zgorzelec). The spokesperson said: – The main reason for these actions was foreigners using their visas contrary to their intended purpose. Most often, foreigners holding visas allowing them to work in Poland travelled to Germany or the Czech Republic and took up employment there.
Other arrests
In addition, officers of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit detained 349 people who were wanted by the courts or law enforcement authorities. They also detained 62 people (6 Poles and 56 foreigners) who presented forged documents during checks.
How much illegal drugs were seized?
In 2021, NoOSG officers seized illegal goods worth more than PLN 114.5 million (PLN 42 million in 2020). These included:
- drugs worth more than PLN 19 million,
- tobacco products worth nearly PLN 80 million,
- alcohol worth PLN 5.7 million,
- other goods worth nearly PLN 7 million.
How many stolen cars were recovered?
Major J. Konieczniak:
Last year, officers of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit recovered 38 vehicles stolen in European countries. Their total value was more than PLN 4.2 million.
Among the recovered vehicles, high-value motorhomes attracted attention. Eight such vehicles were recovered. The most expensive vehicle discovered was a Fiat motorhome driven by a 21-year-old Polish woman. The vehicle had been stolen in Germany and was valued at PLN 300,000.
The officers from the Joint Polish-German Post in Świecko recovered the most—no fewer than 29 stolen vehicles. These included cars of such brands as Mazda, Audi, Mitsubishi and Fiat. In some cases, the stolen vehicles were stopped after pursuits.
Recruitment for service
Recruitment for service in the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit was conducted throughout 2021. During this period, 513 candidates submitted the required documents and began the recruitment process. Seventy of them successfully completed the two recruitment stages in 2021.
More detailed information can be found on the website of the Nadodrze Border Guard Unit.