*ep starts around 23 mins
Poland under the communist regime was a weird place where a line between underworld and law enforcement wasn’t really existing. People were illegally “dealing dollars” like drugs on the streets. The economic situation was so dire that smuggling from the West became a new normal. Many sought opportunities in stealing foreign cars what turned groups of friends into real, organized gangs. All of it under a blind eye of the government and police. It’s not surprising, though, because Ministry of Interior was heavily involved in crime as well. Polish Intelligence Agency was funding its own operations by forcing Polish petty criminals living in the West to do robberies and heists and smuggle stolen goods to Poland. And these goods often were stolen again, and again by administration, officers and even well-known politicians. Those stories help to better understand what came next, in 90s, during one of the craziest and fastest world's economic transformations from communism to capitalism. “Wild West” of Europe, with its own Yuma.
no guests this week, solo dolo yall!