The arrest of 18 illegal migrants transported in a van through Poland occurred under dramatic circumstances.
In the town of Gogolin in the Opole region, a 21-year-old Polish woman caused an accident and then fled the scene. The police were informed that the collision had taken place at one of the roundabouts in the city, where a delivery Fiat van had hit the rear of a BMW and then driven off. The woman driving the vehicle was fleeing from a police patrol.
“Her dangerous journey ended after a few minutes with the police stopping her,” said police officer Ewelina Karpińska from the local county police headquarters. As it turned out, the 21-year-old was driving without a license, and the vehicle had a faulty braking system. The woman was arrested.
However, during the inspection, the police found 18 Syrian citizens in the cargo area of the van.
Border Guard officers were called in and discovered that the people, aged 18 to 42, were in Poland illegally. The Border Guard also determined that they had entered Poland illegally from Slovakia. All foreigners are now in custody as well.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old woman was charged with assisting in an illegal border crossing, causing danger in road traffic, driving without a license, and the manner in which she transported passengers.
The District Court in Strzelce Opolskie applied a temporary detention penalty on the woman for a period of three months. She is now facing a penalty of up to eight years in prison.
