The border policemen from Arad detected 50 Afghans hidden in a special arranged compartment in a cistern loaded with vinegar intending to exit illegally Romania to reach Italy.
On 30.03.2010, around 16.00, in Border Crossing Point Varsand, Arad County , the Greek citizen, Georgios C., aged 25, presented himself to exit the country, driving a freight vehicle registered in Bulgaria . According to the accompanying documents, the driver was transporting vinegar made in Greece for a firm in Italy.
Based on a risk analysis, the border policemen checked the cistern with the support of a special apparatus for detecting the heart beats and the result of the test was positive, fact which aroused suspicions that in the transportation mean might be hidden persons.
A thorough check of the vehicle was carried out and under the cistern was discovered a sunroof which facilitated the access inside. Also, it was ascertained that the cistern was divided horizontally into two separate compartments, in the upper half of the cistern was the freight and the lower one was arranged with benches, ventilation system and illumination. Within this space, especially arranged, 50 hidden persons (28 men, 7 women and 15 children) were detected trying to exit illegally Romania.
According to the investigations, it resulted that the persons involved are Afghan citizens and stated that they chose this method because they did not hold visa for the Schengen area and intended to reach Italy in order to find work.
Within the first investigations, the driver of the vehicle stated that he was not aware of the way in which the persons involved got into the vehicle.
The border policemen drew up preparatory documents for the institution of the criminal proceeding for committing attempt of illegal border crossing to the adult Afghans and the driver is investigated for trafficking in migrants.
The investigations are carried on by the border policemen in order to detect the persons involved in the organization and the facilitation of the group, as well as to establish the entire criminal activity, at the finalization of the case all the legal measures are to be taken.