Customs officers and border police, targeted in a smuggling case with links to Ukraine: over 100 searches

DIICOT prosecutors detained seven people, during the period of May 8-9, 2026, including two border police officers and three customs agents, as part of a case targeting criminal groups involved in smuggling products from Ukraine, including pesticides.

137 searches were carried out, and as a result, cigarettes, pesticides, and large sums of money were discovered. Prosecutors identified three organized criminal groups active in the years 2024-2025, which illegally brought cigarettes and toxic substances into Romania, benefiting from the support of public officials who conducted border control. Additionally, there were instances of prohibited products being introduced, such as 400 liters of pesticides, with the help of police officers. Following the searches, 155,920 cigarettes, various pesticides, rodenticides, and other smuggled goods were confiscated, highlighting the scale of the criminal network.