Deputy Mayor Tomasz J. Dismissed After Arrest on Organized Crime Charges

The deputy mayor of Bełchatów, Tomasz J., was arrested on June 24 after police from the Central Bureau of Investigation seized evidence of an organized crime group producing illegal tobacco products. The investigation led to the detention of five individuals and the discovery of a complete production line on a private rented property.

Following the arrest, the municipal mayor, Konrad Koc, suspended Tomasz J. from his duties under the local government employee law and later issued an order removing him from the deputy position and revoking all authorizations. The mayor declined further comment on the case.

Tomasz J. faces charges of leading a criminal group involved in the manufacture and illegal distribution of high‑value tobacco products without the required registration, as well as tax offenses, which carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison.