FIGHT AGAINST SMUGGLING ON THE «VOLYN» SECTION OF THE POLISH-SOVIET BORDER IN 1921 – 1924

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the problem of combating smuggling on the Vo lyn’ section of the Polish-Soviet border. It is established that in the period of 1921-1924 there was a search for an effective model of protection of the eastern border of the Second Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth have suffered sig nificant losses as a result of the First World War and the Soviet-Polish wars and were in the highly difficult economic conditions. Smuggling was an inevitable consequence of the industrial goods and food shortage. During 1920 – 1924 the Volhyn’ section of the Polish-Soviet border becomes a place of an active illegal trade between Poland and Soviet Ukraine. Unsettled border on both sides, weak security contributed to the spread of smuggling, which mainly the local people took part in. Particular attention is paid to the category of goods smuggled across the Volyn’ section of the Polish-Soviet border in 1920-1924. Lack of proper experience and developed forms of combating smuggling did not allow the first formations on the eastern border of the Second Polish–Lith uanian Commonwealth to achieve positive results. Despite the transforma tional measures taken, the state police did not justify their in the border pro tection functions. In such circumstances, the Polish authorities were forced to decide to create a special military structure to protect the eastern border - from November 1, 1924 until September 1939, the Polish-Soviet border was under the protection of the KOP (Border Protection Corps). The creation of the KOP opened a new period in the fight against smuggling crime on the eastern border of the Polish state.