Gdańsk, 29 December 2025 – The District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk announced today the detention of individuals and the filing of charges in a case involving the illegal import of wood products originating from Russia and Belarus, in breach of EU sanctions currently in force.
Detentions and charges
The detentions took place on 18 December 2025 – acting on the Prosecutor’s order, officers of the Maritime Border Guard Unit and the Pomeranian Customs and Tax Office arrested five individuals:
All detainees were brought to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk, where they were formally charged with committing crimes under Art. 15(1)(1) of the Act of 13 April 2022 on Counteracting Support for Aggression Against Ukraine, and Art. 87 §2 of the Fiscal Penal Code, related to the placing of regulated and sanctioned wood products- such as plywood and wooden mouldings – on the EU market.
Investigation findings
The investigation revealed that between 2022 and 2024, a group of interconnected companies based in the Pomeranian region used various mechanisms to circumvent EU sanctions, including:
Evidence in the case includes:
The suspects face a potential 3 to 30 years of imprisonment.
👉 Full official statement by the Prosecutor’s Office (in Polish):
https://www.gov.pl/web/po-gdansk/zatrzymania-i-zarzuty-w-sledztwie-dotyczacym-naruszania-sankcji-zwiazanych-z-przeciwdzialaniem-wspieraniu-agresji-na-ukraine
“We welcome the effective actions taken by Polish law enforcement in preventing fiscal and criminal offences aimed at bypassing sanctions and profiting from the illegal import of plywood from Russia and Belarus. Today’s announcement by the Prosecutor’s Office is a breakthrough for our industry – it confirms that accountability does not stop at the border.”
“This is the first case of this scale to be made public, but we are aware that dozens of similar investigations are ongoing across Poland, involving both domestic and international companies, as well as individuals engaged in the same illegal trade. We expect further charges and arrests in early 2026.”
“What’s particularly important is that signs point to not only importers being held accountable – but also those companies that knowingly used illegally sourced plywood. This is a critical signal – not just for honest manufacturers, but also for buyers and public institutions.”
“This kind of illegal activity has been damaging our market for years and undermining the competitiveness of Polish producers who follow the law. We sincerely hope that, with the New Year, no one will reach for illegal plywood again – and that decisive actions taken by the authorities will have a real impact on customer awareness and help restore fair competition in the wood industry.”
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About PAGED Plywood S.A.:
Founded over 90 years ago, PAGED Plywood S.A. is currently one of the largest plywood manufacturers in the European Union. It employs approximately 1,700 people and has a total of five production plants in Poland and Estonia. It offers innovative solutions and products that are used in many industries, such as interior design and furnishings, construction, transport, and packaging in over 40 markets around the world. Since 2019, Paged has been developing and implementing technological and product innovations based on the unique competencies of its own research and development center, Paged LabTech. PAGED Plywood S.A. is part of the Thumos Group, a private Polish industrial and investment consortium.
Contact: Magdalena Kicińska, magdalena.kicinska@pagedplywood.com, tel.: +48 725520874