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DIICOT, Romanian Police conducting 386 searches to dismantle some organized crime groups
On Wednesday, the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) prosecutors and judicial police officers are conducting 386 house searches in Bucharest and 28 counties, as part of a large-scale action aimed at dismantling some organized crime groups.
According to a DIICOT announcement, in the current epidemiological context, important leaders of groups operating abroad have returned to the country.
The searches are taking place simultaneously in Bucharest and in the counties of Botosani, Suceava, Iasi, Neamt, Galati, Vrancea, Covasna, Brasov, Buzau, Prahova, Dambovita, Constanta, Calarasi, Ilfov, Teleorman, Arges, Dolj, Gorj, Olt, Valcea, Alba, Caras-Severin, Timisoara, Arad, Bihor, Satu Mare, Cluj and Bistrita Nasaud.
The actions of the DIICOT prosecutors and the Romanian Police, launched at national level, are the result of the investigations carried out in 24 criminal cases investigated by 21 territorial structures of DIICOT and the Central Structure. They aim to dismantle several criminal groups involved in most forms of organized crime, namely high-risk drug trafficking, trafficking in people, pimping, usury, cybercrime, tax evasion, money laundering, smuggling, trafficking in migrants, fraud or blackmail.
IntMin Vela: It is 'D' day for fighting crime in Romania; 619 actions nationwide
Minister of Internal Affairs Marcel Vela announced that, on Wednesday, 619 searches were carried out at the level of the entire country in order to fight crime.
"I chose this day - 'D' day, because it will be easy to remember for those who will analyze the activity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI). 'D' day, 11.11. Romania. (...) It is the biggest action performed by the MAI in recent years for combating crime in Romania," said Vela in a press statement at the MAI headquarters.
He said 3,000 police staff, gendarmes, border guards conducted 619 actions, out of which 489 searches and 130 raids.
"The 130 raids were for the enforcing pre-trial arrest warrants and some European arrest warrants. Targeted were 21 criminal groups dealing with drug trafficking, human trafficking, migrant trafficking, pimping, economic crimes, usury and blackmail", added Marcel Vela.
The minister specified that the damage caused by the 21 criminal groups was 190 million lei and 160,000 euros.
"Of the 489 searches, 386 are on organized crime, 36 in the judiciary area, 46 on economic and financial crime and 21 on crimes related to weapons and ammunition," Vela said.
According to him, in the first 10 months of the year, the crime level decreased in Romania by 11pct, while the Ministry of Interior seized drugs worth 100 million euros.
Vela presented, in a press statement at the Ministry's headquarters, several data regarding the activity of the Ministry of Interior for 2020.
"During the state of alert and the state of emergency, through the borders of Romania, from all the neighbourhood areas, the police dealt with a transit flow of 13 million people and over 5 million vehicles. This year they dealt with a maximum volume, the highest volume in recent years and they are the same people, maybe even fewer," said Vela.
He added that the Ministry of Interior had managed to do, in a period of economic crisis and health crisis, what other ministries and other governments did not do when there was no crisis.
"During the state of emergency, 52 ambulances have been purchased, and 60 new vans for release. We are in the phase of evaluating this month the offers for six large helicopters, three land and three maritime intervention. At the same time, we will have two new medical aircraft for SMURD," said Vela.
Also, the MAI workers received 7,082 new vehicles and 25,000 pistols, assembled in Romania.
"I bought 25,000 new pistols because they were using pistols from the '70s, and not just I bought them through a purchase that could raise no doubts, but I also managed to save money while purchasing them. The pistol model is almost half the price than you can find it on the Internet or iin the first 10 months of the year, the crime level decreased in Romania by 11pct, while the Ministry of Interior seized drugs worth 100 million euros.
Vela presented, in a press statement at the Ministry's headquarters, several data regarding the activity of the Ministry of Interior for 2020.
"During the state of alert and the state of emergency, through the borders of Romania, from all the neighbourhood areas, the police dealt with a transit flow of 13 million people and over 5 million vehicles. This year they dealt with a maximum volume, the highest volume in recent years and they are the same people, maybe even fewer," said Vela.
He added that the Ministry of Interior had managed to do, in a period of economic crisis and health crisis, what other ministries and other governments did not do when there was no crisis.
"During the state of emergency, 52 ambulances have been purchased, and 60 new vans for release. We are in the phase of evaluating this month the offers for six large helicopters, three land and three maritime intervention. At the same time, we will have two new medical aircraft for SMURD," said Vela.
Also, the MAI workers received 7,082 new vehicles and 25,000 pistols, assembled in Romania.
"I bought 25,000 new pistols because they were using pistols from the '70s, and not just I bought them through a purchase that could raise no doubts, but I also managed to save money while purchasing them. The pistol model is almost half the price than you can find it on the Internet or in official offers (...), because we managed to assemble them in a production capacity in Romania and to purchase them in this way at a low price - 400 euros, including VAT," said Vela.
The Minister added that the Ministry of Interior is in negotiations with the Ministry of European Funds to access a project for the purchase of seven new helicopters for the air police, for missions in support of the Traffic Police and the Border Police.n official offers (...), because we managed to assemble them in a production capacity in Romania and to purchase them in this way at a low price - 400 euros, including VAT," said Vela.
The Minister added that the Ministry of Interior is in negotiations with the Ministry of European Funds to access a project for the purchase of seven new helicopters for the air police, for missions in support of the Traffic Police and the Border Police.