A network of migrant traffickers, annihilated from Braşov. 10 transports of people were stopped during the investigation, tens of thousands of euros and dollars found in the searched houses
21 searches in Romania, 6 in Italy and another 2 in Austria were coordinated on Wednesday, April 24, by the policemen from the Braşov Organized Crime Brigade, together with DIICOT prosecutors – Braşov Territorial Service and their colleagues from the two European countries. The searches took place in a file regarding the commission of the crimes of forming an organized criminal group, migrant trafficking and instigation in the form of improper participation in intellectual forgery.
“From the research carried out, it emerged that, starting from 2021 and until now, more than 20 people (Romanian citizens and foreigners), organized in a criminal structure on hierarchical levels, would have acted on the territory of Romania, Italy and Austria, directly or through legal entities, in which they have the capacity of administrator, in order to commit the crime of migrant trafficking“, stated the spokesperson of the Braşov County Police, principal chief agent Daniel Zontea.
Thus, the members of the group would have recruited, directly and through the controlled commercial companies, several citizens of Asian (mainly from Pakistan) and African origin, under the pretext of labor recruitment.
Later, some of the investigated persons, under the coordination and at the direction of the leader, would have submitted applications for the issuance of work permits to various county immigration services from the country, and, after obtaining the documents and completing the formalities, other members would have taken over the migrants from the airport, would have accommodated them in different locations in Bucharest, after which they would have transferred them to the area of the municipality of Timisoara.
From this area, they would have been taken over and crossed the state border of Romania, illegally, both on foot and hidden in various means of transport, the destination being Western European countries (mainly Italy).
“The investigated persons would have collected sums between 5,000 and 10,000 euros from each migrant, and those who could not pay, would have been forced to perform unpaid work for a year, in Italy, for the benefit of one of members of the criminal group”Daniel Zontea also showed.
During the investigations carried out in the case, more than 10 transports of migrants were detected and stopped.
71,005 USD, 68,730 euros, 4,820 pounds, 26,900 lei and 3,050 Swedish crowns, as well as several documents, were seized during the searches. More than 20 people were taken to the DIICOT Braşov headquarters.
