Officers of the Economic Crime Department of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Jelenia Góra, conducting proceedings concerning the activities of this organized criminal group, gathered extensive evidence. – This evidence became the basis for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra to launch an investigation – explains Commissioner Przemysław Ratajczyk of the Wrocław Provincial Police Headquarters.
On December 9, 2025, Jelenia Góra officers, together with the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Office in Wrocław, officers of the Economic Crime Department of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław, and counterterrorists from Wrocław, Opole and Poznań, carried out a large-scale operation in Zgorzelec County. The spokesperson said: – During this multifaceted operation, 11 people aged between 28 and 44 were detained. Given the nature of the case and the potential risks, their arrests were carried out by counterterrorist assault teams from three provinces.
During searches of 18 locations—apartments, utility rooms and commercial pavilions—police officers seized huge quantities of illegal tobacco products: 2,315,720 cigarettes, 8,600 tobacco inserts and nearly 170 kg of cut tobacco.
According to preliminary findings, placing these products on the market would have resulted in VAT and excise-tax losses of more than PLN 3 million.
The officers also secured property belonging to the suspects to cover potential future penalties: PLN 840,000 in cash and five vehicles worth approximately PLN 810,000. Activities are also under way to secure real estate with a total value of nearly PLN 9 million.
On December 10, 2025, the District Court in Jelenia Góra, at the prosecutor’s request, ordered three suspects—men aged between 31 and 37 who held key positions in the group’s structure—to be placed in pre-trial detention for three months.
The spokesperson explains: – The detained suspects are accused of participating in an organized criminal group in which they held leadership roles.
The spokesperson adds:
The findings to date indicate that the organized criminal group operated from July 2024 to January 2025, causing tax losses of no less than PLN 8 million.
The detained individuals face up to 15 years in prison for the crimes committed.
The case is ongoing. Police officers are continuing activities aimed at detaining additional identified individuals and uncovering further aspects of the group’s activities.