The detentions are part of a broader effort to combat human trafficking and unauthorized border crossings in the region.
Investigators say the arrested individuals were facilitating the transport of migrants from Russia and Belarus to countries in Western Europe.
Six of the suspects have been placed under pre-trial detention.
Among those arrested were citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Poland. They were searching for couriers in Poland who would transport illegal migrants from the border with Belarus to the German border, officials said.
One of the detained men, a Russian citizen, ran a car rental business in Poland, which he allegedly used as a front to recruit couriers and provide them with vehicles for transporting illegal migrants.
The detainees have been charged with organizing the illegal crossing of the Polish border for migrants.
The arrests were made across the country. Border Guard officers searched 11 properties and several vehicles used by the suspects, seizing computers, documents and around PLN 80,000 (EUR 18,500) in cash.
Photo: Poland's Border Guard/Europol
The Podlaskie Branch of the Polish Border Guard conducted the operation, aided by around 120 Europol officers.
Since the start of the year, law enforcement officials have apprehended 321 individuals involved in organizing illegal migration and have documented 27,800 attempts to cross the border illegally, resulting in 66 people being temporarily detained, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
Photos: Polish Border Guard/Europol
The operation by Poland's Border Guard, supported by Europol, was part of a broader effort to combat human trafficking and unauthorized border crossings.
Source: IAR/KGSG
(mp/gs)
Source: IAR
Read more about this subject: