Poland's law enforcement agencies together with partners from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia detained four Ukrainian citizens suspected of abductions of illegal migrants to extort ransom. About it reports the Polish edition of RMF24.
Investigators found that the criminal group operated in Poland and Latvia. Detained from 20 to 40 years. They were all in Poland legally. Among the suspects is a woman. They are charged with theft of people and the illegal crossing of the border.
According to preliminary data, Ukrainians were in a network that engaged in the illegal transfer of migrants to the European Union through Belarus. But instead of the promised transport to the EU, the defendants stole migrants, took money, phones, and then demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency. The victims were sent a video with threats and even torture. In one of the cases, the persons were threatened with murder and selling organs.
One of the episodes happened in Lublin, where the detainees were kept stolen in the trunk of the car, and then demanded a ransom from their families. The victims managed to escape, and they were shocked in the street eyewitnesses. Men were undressed and frightened.
After that, the group escaped to Latvia, where she made another theft - three men with small ones. One of them was tied to a tree and cruelly beaten with a wooden stick. Video of torture was again transferred to the native redemption.
Polish law enforcement officers, together with Latvian colleagues, established the place of residence of the suspects. Currently, three of them are in custody. The investigation is likely to be established new episodes of criminal activity.
