Europol has supported Polish authorities in stopping a criminal organised group from forging a wide range of official documents, some of which were used to smuggle individuals into the EU.
The gang mainly operated in Poland and Ukraine and forged documents ranging from residence permits, driving licences and passports, to visas and ID cards.
The investigation started in 2020. Since then, law enforcement authorities have seized over 12,000 counterfeit documents, secured €250,000 and arrested 42 suspects in total, all members of the same organised criminal group.
The most recent action days against the gang took place on 3 and 4 December 2024 in Poland and resulted in seven suspects being arrested, four locations being searched, a seizure of electronic devices, and a seizure of documents and bank credit cards.
The suspects used websites and social media platforms to advertise the sale of forged documents under the pretence of legal assistance. Individuals were charged €1,500 per document. Individuals seeking these documents were redirected to a customer service centre, where they received initial information about the process, costs, and details to pay deposits.
Once the forged documents were ready, the buyers received photographs of the documents via online messaging platforms and were instructed to pay the remaining balance. The documents were then delivered via postal operators or personally by members of the organised criminal group.
The criminal group had been smuggling thousands of individuals into EU countries, including Czechia, Germany, Romania and Poland. Authorities believe the suspects also laundered almost €4 million due to their criminal activities.
Throughout the three-year-long investigation, Europol’s specialists coordinated and facilitated the exchange of information with Polish authorities. They also provided their expertise on the ground during the action days in Poland.
The most dangerous organised crime groups carry out complex money laundering schemes to conceal their illegal profits. To tackle these top criminals successfully, Europol is focusing more on investigating high-value targets, financial investigations, and asset recovery, as in this case.
Poland is holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2025, from 1 January to 30 June. During this period, the Polish Presidency outlined seven key priorities in the field of internal security, all of which align closely with Europol’s mission to make Europe safer.
