Retail drug trade has moved to the Internet, and the most frequently secured substances in Poland are synthetic cathinones, Michał Aleksandrowicz, head of the CBŚP drug department, told PAP. He emphasized that the digital world makes life easier for dealers, but the police do not lose vigilance.
The digital world has revolutionized not only communication, but also drug crime. The Head of the Department for Combating Organized Drug Crime at the Central Bureau of Investigation, Michał Aleksandrowicz, emphasized that retail trade has largely moved online – both to the open Internet and the darknet. He added that the digital world makes life easier for dealers and makes it easier for the police to track them down, because nothing gets lost online.
Messengers are increasingly used to enable quick exchange of information and payments.
– Young people order drugs online and no longer meet with dealers. It's convenient and seemingly safe, but the police don't sleep, Aleksandrowicz pointed out.
Drugs reach recipients in various ways – through parcel lockers, couriers, and also through the so-called pins, i.e. locations with hidden packages.
– There is no reason to stigmatize specific courier companies. These are simply logistical tools that criminals use. Anonymity is key for them, explained the head.
He added that the police can also reach those who operate in hiding.
– The hand of the police reaches everywhere. Perpetrators who think they are invisible will be found sooner or later, he assured.
Data from the Central Bureau of Investigation show that over 26 tons of drugs were seized this year – more than in the entire last year. Synthetic cathinones, such as clephedrone and clophedrone, predominate among them.
– They are easy to obtain and work similarly to cocaine, only they cost several times less. That is why they have become especially popular among young users, explained Aleksandrowicz.
He added that there is no fentanyl epidemic in Poland, which is devastating the United States.
– We only secure trace amounts of this substance, mainly recovered from medical products. We do not have illegal mass production, the officer reassured.
The so-called popular in the 1990s also disappeared from the market. Polish heroin.
– It was replaced by synthetics and drugs with a similar effect. The market is moving towards substances that are easier to produce and more profitable, he added.
Marijuana remains a problem.
– It's not an innocent drug. It is often fortified with synthetic cannabinoids. Users do not realize that they are smoking something that can poison them. Sometimes the herb is sprayed with hairspray to make it look better, warned Aleksandrowicz.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the number of young people involved in the drug trade is increasing. – These are not just typical criminals anymore. These are often technicians, people responsible for instant messaging, payments and logistics. They think it's just remote work. However, such careers end very quickly, usually with imprisonment, he emphasized.
The police cooperates with many services – the Border Guard, the National Tax Administration, the prosecutor's office and local units.
– We act as a system of communicating vessels, we exchange information and plan operations together. Signals from citizens also help a lot, he said.
Aleksandrowicz has no doubt: legalization of drugs, even light ones, will not solve the problem.
– Experience from the USA shows that even after the legalization of marijuana, the black market continues to operate because it is simply cheaper. Our task is not to change the law, but to enforce it, he emphasized.
Mira Suchodolska (PAP)
The entire interview will be broadcast around seven o'clock.
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