Police Central Investigation Bureau (CBSP) officers have expanded their efforts in an ongoing nationwide inquiry into extortion within Polish strip clubs, resulting in the apprehension of an additional 20 individuals. This group includes both waitresses and dancers, all of whom are suspected of playing a role in an organized criminal network aimed at extracting money from patrons of the establishments.
Iwona Jurkiewicz, the official spokesperson for CBSP, informed the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that these 20 individuals are believed to be part of a coordinated criminal operation that employed tactics involving customer exploitation and fraudulent activities. The alleged modus operandi involved incapacitating clients through alcohol consumption before carrying out deceptive transactions to pilfer their finances.
One specific incident, currently under investigation, has shed light on the extent of these activities. A patron at the Goraczka club in Krakow reportedly suffered a loss exceeding PLN 190,000 (EUR 42,000) after acquiring nine bottles of champagne and 419 artificial roses. Furthermore, Jurkiewicz disclosed that another victim incurred expenditures of PLN 80,000 (EUR 17,900) through two rapid transactions facilitated by a previously arranged bank loan.
The individuals who were taken into custody were transported to the Lower Silesian Branch of the Department for Organised Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor’s Office in Wroclaw. Karol Borcholski, a representative from the Press Department of the National Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that the detainees have been formally charged with participation in an organized criminal syndicate, along with multiple counts of robbery and fraud against customers of various clubs operating across Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Gdansk, and Warsaw.
With the latest wave of arrests, the total count of people held in temporary detention now stands at 54. Investigative sources suggest that the case remains fluid, implying the potential for further arrests as the inquiry unfolds. Concurrently, law enforcement officials are also examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a 36-year-old British national who succumbed to alcohol poisoning after a brief stay at the Wild Night club in Krakow. It’s pertinent to note that four individuals were previously detained in connection to this specific incident.