In a major operation, Romanian police, with help from Europol and other international agencies, broke up a smuggling ring that was moving migrants from Bulgaria through Romania to Western Europe. On July 29, 2024, they arrested eight people and found 32 migrants in one of the group’s safe houses.
The operation involved the Romanian Police (Poliția Română) and the Romanian Border Police (Poliția de Frontieră), with support from the Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organised Crime (Главна Дирекция Борба с организираната престъпност) and additional assistance from Austria, Germany, and Hungary. During the raid, authorities searched nine locations across Romania, including two in Arad, three in Bucharest, one in Oradea, and three in Timișoara. The seizures included various documents, electronic equipment, and cash.
The criminal network, led by a Syrian national residing in Romania for three years, was primarily composed of Syrian and Romanian members. The group operated out of Bucharest and used Timișoara as a central hub for housing and transporting migrants. They targeted individuals from the Middle East, particularly Syria, who were seeking to reach Western European countries, with Germany being a primary destination.
The smuggling fees charged by the network ranged from EUR 5,000 to EUR 10,000 per migrant for the journey from Türkiye to Western Europe. The leader of the operation had significant connections with key organizers based in Istanbul, Türkiye, and recruited Romanian nationals, often private taxi drivers, to assist with the transportation of migrants. From February to May of this year, Romanian authorities detected five smuggling incidents involving a total of 70 irregular migrants. These individuals were transported in lorries hidden among merchandise.
Europol played a crucial role in the operation by facilitating information exchange, providing operational coordination, and offering analytical support. On the day of the action, Europol deployed an analyst to Romania to assist with real-time information cross-checking against Europol’s databases. Additionally, Europol arranged for Bulgarian investigators to join Romanian officers in the field.
This operation highlights the ongoing challenges and international cooperation needed to combat migrant smuggling along the Balkan route, showcasing the effective cross-border collaboration required to address such complex criminal activities.