The Military Prosecutor's Office announced that 17 people are being prosecuted for smuggling related to the purchase of a helicopter from Great Britain, along with Raed Arafat.

The Military Prosecutor's Office next to the Military Court of Appeal in Bucharest announced on Tuesday that 17 people are being prosecuted for smuggling in connection with the purchase of a helicopter from Great Britain, evading VAT payment. The investigation was initiated after the crash of a SMURD helicopter in 2016, which resulted in the death of four people. Following the accident, I.G.Av. agreed with the insurer to replace the destroyed helicopter, but investigators found that the new aircraft was imported without complying with customs formalities, causing a damage of 4,435,269 lei to the state budget. Raed Arafat was heard and stated that his inclusion in the case is forced and artificial, emphasizing that there is no concrete evidence against him. Arafat expressed his willingness to cooperate with the authorities but raised questions about the validity of the investigation.