The operation was triggered after a 22-year-old Ukrainian citizen reported being lured to a “call centre” job in the city, only to be threatened and forcibly detained. He managed to escape and alerted the police, prompting an immediate coordinated response.
Officers from multiple units - including Warsaw’s Mokotów police station, Ursynów and Wilanów precincts, the Capital Police Prevention Unit, the Traffic Department, the Counter-Terrorism Unit, and the Central Bureau for Cybercrime - swiftly secured the premises, confiscated equipment, and ensured the safety of potential victims.
A total of 22 individuals, aged 18 to 34, were arrested. Among them, 12 young Ukrainian men, aged 18 to 25, were considered a threat to public safety and state security, and deportation procedures have been initiated.
Two Ukrainians, aged 24 and 34, have been charged with participating in an armed organised criminal group whose activities included producing, trafficking, and distributing large quantities of narcotics, selling drugs for profit, as well as human trafficking and exploiting individuals in extremely vulnerable situations, including war refugees.
Both suspects have been remanded in custody for three months and could face up to 25 years in prison.
Following the investigation, nine Ukrainians - six men and three women - were officially recognised as victims of human trafficking for forced labour.
They are now under the care of the La Strada Foundation, which provides support through Poland’s National Centre for Victims of Human Trafficking.
Authorities stressed that the swift police response prevented further harm and ensured immediate assistance for those at risk.
The day after the raid, during the transfer of two detained women, an unmarked police car collided with a civilian vehicle, resulting in injuries to one of the women and several officers.
The circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation.
(mp)
Source: The Warsaw District Police Headquarters/X/@Policja_KSP