Poland Charges Six Over Attempted Drone Equipment Smuggling to Russia
“This was equipment of strategic importance, covered by export restrictions introduced after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine,” the National Prosecutor’s Office says. “The attempted smuggling posed a direct threat to Poland’s security interests.”
The suspects—four Belarusian nationals and two Polish citizens—are detained following coordinated raids last week by the Internal Security Agency. All six were living in Poland at the time.
Prosecutors allege the group attempted to export, via Belarus, a device for automating the production of integrated circuits. While such components have civilian applications, they can also be used in assembling military systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
The case comes after the National Revenue Administration, Poland’s tax and customs authority, intercepted the shipment. Prosecutors say this action “contributed to the disruption of potential deliveries of military equipment to Russian troops operating in eastern Ukraine.”
The suspects face charges under a 2022 law criminalizing support for Russia’s aggression, including exporting strategically important goods that could aid military production. Convictions carry a minimum three-year prison sentence.
A spokesperson for the Internal Security Agency adds that “attempts to bypass sanctions are becoming increasingly sophisticated,” noting that Poland remains “a frontline state when it comes to detecting and countering activities that support the Russian war effort.”
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