Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Inspector General Marek Boroń said he expects Ukrainian veterans returning to their families in Poland to include some who struggle to readjust to civilian life.
"We anticipate that some of these people will have mental health problems," he said, "but we also anticipate a rise in crime."
Concerns over weapons and narcotics
Once demobilisation begins, firearms used at the front could find their way into the hands of criminal gangs, the inspector said.
Boroń drew a parallel with the Balkans conflict, noting that combat veterans, already trained and battle-hardened, are exactly the kind of recruits organised crime groups seek out.
"You don't need to train them for anything," he said. "You just use them."
Also, drugs currently being used on the frontline will need new markets when the fighting stops, Boroń suggested, with criminal networks likely to diversify into other illegal trades.
To prepare, Poland is merging its Central Investigation Bureau (CBŚP) and Central Cybercrime Bureau (CBZC) into a single National Investigation Bureau, designed to tackle both online and real-world organised crime.
New specialist units will also be set up in regional police commands, with cyber-crime divisions eventually planned at city level too.
Boroń stressed that online criminal activity – from cryptocurrency investment fraud to contract hiring – directly feeds street-level crime, making digital policing central to the wider effort.
Marek Boroń made similar comments in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio in January.
(ał)
Source: PAP