Pruszków mafia
Artur Górski, a crime journalist, and Monika Banasiak, the wife of one of the leaders of the mafia, presenting Górski's book on the organization, 2017 | |
| Founding location | Pruszków, Poland |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1989–2000 |
| Territory | Primarily in the Warsaw metropolitan area, outlets across the entire country |
| Membership | Several hundred |
| Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, weapon trafficking, murder, blackmail, theft |
| Rivals | Wołomin mafia |
The Pruszków mafia (Polish: mafia pruszkowska or gang pruszkowski) was a Polish criminal organization originating from Pruszków in the 1990s and one of the most infamous in the country's modern history. It was active in the vicinity of the city of Warsaw. The group is known for being involved in large car-theft rings, drug trafficking (including cocaine, heroin, hashish and amphetamine), kidnapping, extortion, weapon trafficking (including AK-47's) and murder. Even though law enforcement dealt a severe blow to the organization in 2000 with Jarosław "Masa" Sokołowski taking the stance of crown witness. Despite rumors sparked by the release of a few high-ranking members in 2017 the group has not been significantly active since, with many of the freed bosses re-arrested on subsequent charges. Remnants of the group are thought to be involved in car theft and drug distribution but retain no real influence in the area.