Criminals are exploiting a legal loophole in Poland's yacht registration system, using Polish-flagged vessels to transport cocaine and other drugs from South America to Europe and beyond, the British financial newspaper said.
This exploitation has been highlighted by the United Nations and maritime authorities as a significant concern, according to the Financial Times.
Since the introduction of this new registration system in 2020, the number of Polish-flagged boats has surged from around 2,000 to nearly 77,000, attracting criminals seeking inexpensive and swift registration, the newspaper said.
Polish authorities have not yet fully implemented international rules that would allow other countries to board Polish-flagged vessels at sea, enabling drug traffickers to evade capture as long as they avoid territorial waters of enforcing nations.
As a result, there has been a notable increase in the number of Polish-flagged vessels suspected of drug trafficking, the Financial Times reported.
The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure acknowledges the issue but has yet to confirm involvement by organized crime groups, while the government is working on legislative changes to facilitate better inspections of these boats.
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Source: Financial Times/UNODC