An organized group of criminals smuggling cigarettes with the assistance of Moldovans was traced by the Iasi Bordet Police Local Service after this had been followed for a year, starting with last December, IPN has learned from the General Border Police Inspectorate of Romania.
The group known as “Trandafir” (“Rose”) consisted of Romanian and Moldovan citizens and was headed by a man from Moldova.
The Romanian police established that “Trandafir” was organized into five levels. The group leader and his assistant, who was also a Moldovan and delivered cigarettes from Moldova, formed the first level. The group leader held negotiations with beneficiaries from the territory of Romania.
The second level was formed of addressees of contraband cigarettes, while the third of Romanian nationals living in the border area, who received the parcels of cigarettes after these were crossed over the Prut River and handed them over to other persons who delivered them to the beneficiaries.
The fourth level was represented by persons recruited by group members to transport the cigarettes, while the fifth by customs officers of the Sculeni border crossing point.
The police in Romania arrested seven members of the group, while another two were placed under judicial control. Within the investigation, there were carried out 20 home searches in Iasi County.
