18 October 2024|PRESS RELEASE — Drug trafficking – A prison group that had arrange a world smuggling route for prescription drugs was taken down throughout a large-scale operation coordinated from Eurojust’s headquarters. Romanian, Estonian, Finnish and Serbian authorities, supported by Eurojust and Europol, arrested 47 individuals and seized over 6 million drugs.
The prison group, which operated all through Europe, purchased drugs from different prison networks in Serbia. The drugs, used to deal with nervousness, seizures and insomnia, have been then hidden in tyres, in automobiles, which have been transported on lorries, and in clothes to be taken to Romania and Estonia. After arriving in Romania or Estonia, the drugs have been transported on to the Nordic nations. Members of the prison group in Finland and Norway acted as distributors and offered the drugs on the streets. The sale of the drugs was extremely worthwhile for the prison group. The drugs seized throughout the operations executed by the nationwide authorities has a market worth of roughly EUR 12.5 million.
To dismantle the intricate community of criminals, the Romanian authorities launched an investigation into the group. Given the transnational nature of the prison group, with actions in Romania, Estonia, Finland, and Serbia, worldwide cooperation between the authorities began, supported by Eurojust and Europol.
A joint investigation group (JIT) was arrange at Eurojust between Romanian, Estonian, Finnish and Serbian authorities to gather and trade data and proof immediately, and perform joint operations.
To research the exercise of the prison group, particular investigative strategies resembling management supply and undercover investigator have been efficiently utilized by the authorities of all of the nations concerned. To this finish, Eurojust facilitated the coordination and execution in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia of European Investigation Orders issued by Romania. Following these actions, 39 individuals have been arrested, and greater than 4 million prescription drugs have been seized.
After these measures, the JIT continued their investigations to halt the actions of the prison group and convey them to justice.
A big-scale worldwide operation on 17 October coordinated from Eurojust’s headquarters in The Hague, led to the arrest of 14 individuals in Romania, 11 individuals in Serbia and 1 particular person in Finland. 41 homes searches have been carried out concurrently in Romania, 19 in Serbia and one in Finland.
Gadgets seized throughout the operation embrace massive portions of drugs, money, cellphones, firearms and luxurious automobiles. 2 homes have been additionally seized in Romania. Europol facilitated the general operation by liaising with the working authorities, processing the out there information and deploying two specialists with cell places of work to assist the motion day.
The next authorities have been concerned within the actions:
- Romania:
- Prosecution Workplace connected to the Excessive Courtroom of Cassation and Justice
- Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism
- Oradea Territorial Workplace
- Basic Inspectorate of the Romanian Police
- Directorate for Combating Organized Crime
- Division for Particular Operations
- Central Intelligence Evaluation Unit of the Romanian Police;
- Basic Inspectorate for Border Police – Bors, Nadlac and Petea Workplaces
- Estonia:
- Northern District Prosecutor’s Workplace
- Police and Border Guard Board, Northern Prefecture, Crime Bureau, Drug and Organised Crime Unit
- Finland:
- Prosecution District of Southern Finland
- Helsinki Police Division and Nationwide Prosecution Authority
- Serbia:
- Public Prosecutor’s Workplace for Organized Crime
- Prison Investigations Directorate
- Service for Combatting Organized Crime
- Division for Combating Organized Drug Smuggling
