In Poland, customs officials helped ship sanctioned goods to Belarus
A customs official has been detained in Poland who, according to the investigation, assisted an organized criminal group in smuggling sanctioned goods into Belarus.
This was reported by Polsat News.
The case concerns the activities of an organized criminal group believed to have operated from June 19, 2025, to April 21, 2026, in the vicinity of the border crossing points in Kukuryki, Koroshchyn, and Terespol.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the group was involved in smuggling goods subject to sanctions or export restrictions into Belarus. The illegal activity allegedly took place via the road border crossing in Kukuryki. A 29-year-old woman, Magdalena V., an employee of the Customs and Fiscal Service, was said to have played a key role in the case.
According to investigators, the woman was to facilitate the transport of goods subject to sanctions without them being inspected at the border. The criminals were to use two sets of transport documents. One—a forgery—was presented to Polish authorities and indicated the transport of food products, such as sweets, coffee, or beer.
The second set of documents was supposed to contain the actual list of goods, including agricultural machinery parts, auto parts, and other items subject to sanctions.
Magdalena W. has been charged with participating in an organized criminal group, customs smuggling, and the export of goods subject to non-tariff regulations.
In addition, the prosecutor’s office accuses her of receiving financial benefits totaling at least 162,500 zlotys. The money was allegedly transferred “in exchange for not taking control measures” regarding shipments bound for Belarus.
During a search of the premises occupied by the employee, investigators seized 385,000 zlotys and 1,990 euros in cash.
At the request of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin, the Lublin-West District Court ordered Magdalena W. to be held in pretrial detention for a period of three months.
As for the other suspects, including, in particular, owners of transport companies and employees of customs agencies, non-custodial preventive measures were applied: property bonds ranging from 40,000 to 60,000 zlotys, police supervision, and travel bans.
A total of six people have been detained in connection with the case. The prosecutor’s office emphasizes that the investigation is ongoing and is not disclosing further details at this stage.
Participation in an organized criminal group carries a sentence of up to eight years in prison. A public official receiving financial gain for violating the law is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years. In turn, for the export of goods subject to sanctions, the law provides for a sentence of imprisonment for a term of no less than three years.
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