There have been more than 1,000 attempts to illegally cross Poland’s border with Belarus in just the last few days, and border police have detained eight people for assisting in people smuggling.
In total, 1,047 illegal migrants attempted to cross the Polish border with Belarus over four days, according to the Polish Border Guard.
“Foreigners threw stones and branches at Polish patrols several times, resulting in three people sustaining minor injuries,” wrote the border protection authority on X.
In another location, migrants tried to illegally enter Poland across the river, with one attempt involving 115 individuals. The border guards engaged in search-and-rescue operations and ended up aiding 11 Sudanese and one Ethiopian, with some of the migrants being transported to a local hospital.
The border authority reported that in just the first week of April, there were over 1,600 attempts at making an illegal crossing of the border with Belarus.
Border police have also detained eight couriers responsible for people smuggling. One was a Belarusian stopped for transporting four Iranians, one a Pole who smuggled four Syrians, and another a Ukrainian who smuggled three Bangladeshis. Two Ethiopians were also detained when they turned up at a location to pick up illegal migrants.
In one case, the police had to engage in a car chase with a Moldavian who was eventually arrested for transporting six Somalians. The couriers have been charged, and those of foreign origin among them have also become the subject of extradition proceedings. Since the start of the year, 73 individuals have been detained for assisting in illegal border crossings.
