Two police officers are suspected of helping a human trafficking network investigated by Romania and Germany

The investigation concerns approximately 30 women and transfers totaling more than three million euros. One officer allegedly disclosed information about a victim’s complaint, while another allegedly tried to control the investigation. The operation included 57 searches in Romania, Germany, and Austria.

Two police officers from Romania are suspected of helping a group investigated for the sexual exploitation of approximately 30 women in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. One allegedly transmitted information about a victim’s complaint, while the other allegedly tried to take over the case in order to control and delay the investigation, according to the Romanian Police. The joint investigation with the German authorities led to 57 searches on November 5 and to preventive measures announced subsequently.

In brief

Two officers are suspected of helping the group: one allegedly transmitted information about a victim’s complaint, while the other allegedly tried to control the investigation and disclosed data from the databases of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The investigation concerns approximately 30 women sexually exploited in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. The suspects allegedly obtained and moved more than three million euros solely through money transfers, without this amount representing recovered funds.

The operation on November 5 included 36 searches in Romania and another 21 in Germany and Austria. Romanian-German cooperation is being conducted through a joint investigation team established under the aegis of Eurojust.

The police announced 15 detentions and requests for the arrest of 14 people. Subsequently, Gândul reported that the court ordered pretrial detention for 12 and judicial supervision for two, by a decision that could be appealed. A police officer was separately placed under judicial supervision by prosecutors for 60 days.

The authorities seized approximately 90,000 euros and 44,000 lei and placed six cars under asset-freezing measures. These measures do not represent final confiscations or convictions. The case is separate from the operation on October 22 in Augsburg.

The alleged assistance provided by the police officers is described in the statement about the operation. The first officer allegedly transmitted information about the complaint to the group. The second allegedly took steps to take over the handling of the case and disclosed information obtained by accessing the databases of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, without a service-related justification. Investigators claim that the interventions were intended to prevent or hinder the investigation.

The group was allegedly established in Bucharest in January 2020, under the coordination of a 35-year-old man, and allegedly had approximately 30 members, largely connected by family relationships. The suspects allegedly recruited young women through the “loverboy” method, feigning romantic relationships in order to gain their trust. Subsequently, the women were allegedly coerced through emotional blackmail and physical violence into practicing prostitution for the benefit of the group.

Members of the network allegedly organized the transportation and accommodation of the women in rented homes abroad, published advertisements to attract clients, and collected the money. The police announced that approximately 30 victims had been identified. According to investigators, the suspects allegedly obtained and moved more than three million euros solely through money transfers; separately, the money was allegedly transported in cash or collected directly abroad. The figure does not represent an amount recovered by the authorities.

On November 5, DIICOT–Central Structure and officers from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime carried out 36 searches in Bucharest, Ilfov, and Buzău. Another 21 took place simultaneously in Nürnberg, Hamburg, Freiburg, and Stuttgart, in Germany, as well as at a club in Vienna. German police officers and Europol representatives participated in the actions in Romania.

In September, the Romanian and German authorities established, under the aegis of Eurojust, a joint investigation team. This mechanism enables the direct exchange of information and evidence and the coordination of activities in the two countries. Eurojust supports judicial cooperation, while investigative acts and procedural measures are ordered by the national authorities.

The November 6 update from the Romanian Police records 15 detentions and judicial supervision for another person. Prosecutors asked the Bucharest Tribunal for the pretrial detention of 14 of those detained. The statement separately specifies that a police officer was placed by prosecutors under judicial supervision for 60 days.

Subsequently, Gândul reported that the Bucharest Tribunal ordered 30 days of pretrial detention for 12 of the 14 people brought before it and judicial supervision for the other two. The November 6 report specifies that the decision could be appealed. These measures are separate from the judicial supervision ordered by prosecutors for the police officer and do not constitute convictions.

During the searches in Romania, approximately 90,000 euros, 44,000 lei, documents, data-storage devices, jewelry, coins, and bladed weapons were seized, according to the police. Six luxury automobiles were placed under asset-freezing measures. The measure limits the ability to dispose of assets during the proceedings and is not equivalent to final confiscation.

The investigation is different from the case previously reported by 2eu.brussels, in which the operation on October 22 included 16 searches in Argeș and Constanța and four in Augsburg. That case involves DIICOT Pitești and the Augsburg Public Prosecutor’s Office; the current operation is being handled in Romania by DIICOT’s central structure. The results of the two investigations should not be combined.

Protection for presumed victims should not have to await a conviction. European rules require assistance to be provided as soon as the authorities have reasonable grounds to believe that a person has been trafficked. Consent to exploitation does not eliminate the offense when deception, coercion, or abuse of vulnerability has been used. In this case, determining the facts and liability rests with the judicial authorities; all persons under investigation benefit from the presumption of innocence.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/news/doi-politisti-sunt-suspectati-ca-au-ajutat-o-retea-de-trafic-de-persoane-anchetata-de-romania-si-germania