18 October 2024|PRESS RELEASE — Drug trafficking – A legal group that had arrange a world smuggling route for prescription capsules 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 folks and seized over 6 million capsules.
The legal group, which operated all through Europe, purchased capsules from different legal networks in Serbia. The capsules, used to deal with anxiousness, 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 capsules have been transported on to the Nordic nations. Members of the legal group in Finland and Norway acted as distributors and offered the capsules on the streets. The sale of the capsules was extremely worthwhile for the legal group. The capsules seized through the operations carried out 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 legal group, with actions in Romania, Estonia, Finland, and Serbia, worldwide cooperation between the authorities began, supported by Eurojust and Europol.
A joint investigation staff (JIT) was arrange at Eurojust between Romanian, Estonian, Finnish and Serbian authorities to gather and alternate info and proof straight, and perform joint operations.
To analyze the exercise of the legal group, particular investigative methods reminiscent of 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 folks have been arrested, and greater than 4 million prescription capsules have been seized.
After these measures, the JIT continued their investigations to halt the actions of the legal 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 folks in Romania, 11 folks 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 through the operation embody massive portions of capsules, money, cell phones, 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 obtainable knowledge and deploying two specialists with cellular workplaces to help the motion day.
The next authorities have been concerned within the actions:
- Romania:
- Prosecution Workplace hooked up to the Excessive Courtroom of Cassation and Justice
- Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism
- Oradea Territorial Workplace
- Normal Inspectorate of the Romanian Police
- Directorate for Combating Organized Crime
- Division for Particular Operations
- Central Intelligence Evaluation Unit of the Romanian Police;
- Normal Inspectorate for Border Police – Bors, Nadlac and Petea Places of work
- 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
- Legal Investigations Directorate
- Service for Combatting Organized Crime
- Division for Combating Organized Drug Smuggling
