One of Europe’s most wanted female crime bosses has been sentenced to prison after six years on the run. Magdalena Kralka, 30, took control of a notorious drug trafficking and hooligan network following the death of her gang-leader boyfriend, who was fatally shot by police.
Kralka rose through the ranks of the criminal organization, assuming leadership in 2018. She managed the gang’s financial operations and was instrumental in brokering drug deals, trafficking over 65 kilograms of cocaine and cannabis across Europe, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities also accused her of harboring fugitive gang members and recruiting new operatives to battle rival football hooligan factions. Her criminal enterprise collapsed in 2019 when police launched a raid, forcing her to flee. She evaded capture for six years before being apprehended in Slovakia. During this period, Interpol placed her on its Red List of most-wanted fugitives.
A Polish court sentenced Kralka to three and a half years in prison on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. She was also ordered to pay a fine of £4,757. She appeared in court alongside 10 other gang members.
Prosecutors detailed the gang’s violent tactics, stating, “The group also committed acts against life and health, often using dangerous weapons such as knives and machetes. They targeted rival football hooligans from Krakow and Lodz clubs. Their activities were highly organized and hierarchical.”
Despite being regarded as a top figure in the gang, Kralka received a reduced sentence. Judges ruled that she was not in an executive position but rather followed directives issued by the previous leader, Mariusz Z., who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined nearly £21,000.
Her conviction follows a series of crackdowns on Europe’s most notorious drug traffickers. In February, Dutch drug kingpin Marco Ebben was shot and killed near Mexico City after years of evading capture. In January, UK authorities arrested Luis Grijalba, a cartel leader wanted in the United States for cocaine trafficking, after tracking his wife’s social media posts.
