Officers of the Central Investigation Bureau of Police, supported by over 300 uniformed personnel, conducted a large-scale operation targeting an organized criminal group. As a result of the actions in Warsaw and Łódź, 23 people were detained, including leaders of hooligan gangs and a chemist responsible for producing narcotics. The group may have introduced over a ton of drugs into circulation, and during searches, weapons, cash, and illegal gambling machines were secured.
Busting the Gang Structure
23 people were detained, including gang leaders and a chemist producing synthetic drugs.
Enormous Scale of Trade
It is estimated that the group introduced over a ton of illegal intoxicating substances into circulation.
Secured Arsenal and Assets
During the operation, firearms, illegal gambling machines, and significant amounts of cash were seized.
Scope of Services' Actions
300 uniformed officers from various units in Warsaw and Łódź participated in the operation.
State services dealt a powerful blow to organized drug crime linked to the hooligan environment. In the operation, which covered Warsaw, Łódź, and surrounding towns, nearly 300 officers participated, including special teams of the CBŚP. A total of 23 people were detained, accused of participating in an organized criminal group, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of weapons. According to investigators, this structure operated in an extremely brutal manner, controlling the trade of intoxicants, among other places, in Warsaw's gateways. The increase in professionalization of groups linked to hooligan gangs has been observed in Poland since the early 2000s, when these structures began evolving from hooligan groups into formalized organizations trading drugs on a mass scale.The key success of the operation was the detention of a man serving as the main chemist, who supervised the processes of manufacturing synthetic intoxicating substances. Police secured a laboratory, as well as significant amounts of cash hidden in caches and illegal gambling machines. Gambling machines likely provided an additional source of income for the criminals. The National Prosecutor's Office, supervising the investigation, has already submitted requests for temporary detention of most suspects, indicating a high probability of obstruction and the threat of severe imprisonment. „To jedna z największych operacji wymierzonych w to konkretne środowisko w ostatnich latach, kończąca wielomiesięczne działania operacyjne naszych funkcjonariuszy.” (This is one of the largest operations targeting this specific environment in recent years, concluding months of operational actions by our officers.) — CBŚP RepresentativeActions in Widzew in Łódź, where detentions were made, among other places, in the area of a car wash, raised considerable concern among residents due to the use of stun grenades and short firearms by counter-terrorism units. This situation fits into a broader strategy of combating drug gangs that use the violent backing of hooligans to eliminate market competition. Further stages of the investigation are to clarify the extent of the group's international connections regarding the smuggling of drug precursors.