A property located at ul. Wolska 46/48, referred to by a criminal smuggling network as a “safe house” for illegal migrants, was rented from the City of Warsaw — governed by Rafał Trzaskowski — on preferential terms, Niezalezna.pl has learned. The premises housed the office of the Free Citizens of Poland Foundation (Fundacja Wolnych Obywateli RP), led by Paweł Kasprzak. Between 2017 and 2018, the foundation’s board included Paweł W., who has been charged with aiding in the organization of illegal border crossings.
Prosecutor’s office documents from a wide-ranging investigation into human trafficking across the Polish-Belarusian border into Western Europe include a “MANUAL for the team transporting people out of the death zone” — a set of guidelines for traffickers transporting illegal migrants. One section of the manual reads:
“The pick-up point is a private home, known as a ‘good house’ – the address and phone number are provided by the coordinator. In emergency situations, the passenger is taken to the Citizens of Poland office at ul. Wolska 46/48 in Warsaw – ‘safe house’ – contact the coordinator. […] After reading these instructions, delete them from your inbox, computer, smartphone, eat them or burn them. Do not share or show them to outsiders.”
The operation under investigation took place between 2021 and 2022. From 2017 to 2023, the office of the Free Citizens of Poland Foundation was located at ul. Wolska 46/48. The foundation is led by Paweł Kasprzak, whose name appears in case files as someone allegedly aiding the smuggling group. Paweł W., a former board member of the foundation during 2017–2018, has been charged in the case with assisting in organizing illegal border crossings.
In one of the wiretapped conversations involving Paweł W. — discussing accommodations for illegal migrants in Warsaw — W. is asked, “Are there places available?” to which he replies:
“Yes, for today. I also have an emergency office with a bathroom, where a few people can crash if needed.”
Niezalezna.pl found that the property referred to by the smuggling network as a “safe house” is part of Warsaw’s municipal real estate and was rented out on preferential terms during the relevant period as an office space to the Free Citizens of Poland Foundation. The foundation initially signed a three-year agreement from 2017 to 2020, followed by another rental term from 2020 to 2023. In other words, a hideout for an international criminal operation — involving, among others, Russian and Middle Eastern nationals — was located in a city-owned property.
Niezalezna.pl contacted Paweł Kasprzak for comment. He responded:
“I saw a photo somewhere, I think on your site, of a document indicating that people could be brought to our location on Wolska. To be honest, I seriously doubt the authenticity of that photo… although, why would anyone fake it? So all I can say is that only Ukrainian citizens were physically present there. At least, to my knowledge, no one else was there. I don’t recall us ever issuing such instructions. […] I doubt that we produced that document shown in the photo. I also don’t suspect anyone faked it, so maybe someone really did make it — maybe even us, who knows. I don’t remember, but I can say for sure that only Ukrainians were there. Not once did anyone bring people from the Belarusian border to our office — I’m absolutely certain of that. It did not happen.”
When asked about renting the space from the city, Kasprzak confirmed:
“We rented it on preferential terms, like all NGO-type organizations.”