Polish police warn of possible rise in organised crime after Ukraine war
Poland’s police chief has said the country is preparing for new security threats that could emerge after the war in neighbouring Ukraine ends, warning the aftermath could resemble the spike in organised crime that followed the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.
Marek BorońPAP/Paweł Supernak
Marek Boroń made the comments in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio earlier this week.
“Bearing in mind what happened after the war in the Balkans, what happens once the war in Ukraine ends will be a difficult situation for everyone,” Boroń said.
He said Polish police were already coordinating closely with counterparts in other countries, including through the European Union’s Europol law enforcement agency.
“We exchange information and analyse the trends behind these crimes,” he said.
Poland struggled in the 1990s with what officials at the time described as unprecedented levels of organised crime.
Criminal groups operated across borders, including with mafias east of Poland, and made use of weapons smuggled from the former Yugoslavia after the Balkan conflict ended.
Boroń said Poland is now far better prepared to deal with similar risks.
“Will it happen on a similar scale? Definitely not, because our forces are organised in a different way today,” he said. “We have experience, and the police and other services are well equipped.”
He added that international cooperation would remain a key part of Poland’s strategy to combat organised crime.
Last month, the Polish and Ukrainian interior ministers signed an agreement to jointly fight crime, including acts of sabotage.
Officials said the deal would improve the exchange of information between the two countries.
(pm/gs)
Source: polskieradio24.pl
