In 2008, in the border crossing points and in the
competence area, the border policemen discovered approximately 394
kg. of drugs, out of which 98% was heroin.
The actions in this field were also continued this year, from the
beginning of 2009 the border policemen discovered more than 8.4 kg.
of drugs, and 36 persons are penal investigated for committing
crimes at the drugs regime.
The trade value of the drugs seized by the Romanian border
policemen, on the black outlet market, exceeds 12 million
Euros.
The transportation methods of the drugs are extremely varied,
depending on the quantities which are transported, in personal
luggage, in the body, in transportation means or camouflaged in
different objects (clothes hangers, sweets, cloth impregnated with
drugs, etc.).
Through the exchange of operative data and information, the
Romanian border policemen contributed to the capture of some
important quantities of drugs both on the territory of our country
and abroad, as well as to the identification and the detention of
certain Romanian drug carriers who were acting on the territories
of other states.
In 2008, the border policemen discovered, as a result of the actions carried out in the competence area, the total quantity of 393.986 kg. of drugs (386.976 kg. heroin, 6.444 kg. hashish, 0.134 kg. cocaine and 0.432 kg. cannabis).
In relation to 2007, when the quantity of 122.059 kg. of drugs was detected, it was ascertained an increase of 3.2 times of the total of drugs retained by the Romanian border policemen.
According to the legal provisions, in 2008 were drawn up penal files against 99 persons, originating in Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Iran, Ukraine, Syria, Albania, Belgium, Spain, Republic of Moldova and Romania.
The actions in the field of countering the trafficking in drugs were also continued in 2009, as a result, 8.470 kg. of drugs were seized, out of which: 5.925 kg. heroin, 0.528 kg. cannabis, 0.363 kg. cocaine, 1.336 kg. hashish and 0.218 kg. other drugs.
During the analyzed period, 36 persons involved were detected, being investigated for committing crimes at the drugs regime, the majority originating in Republic of Moldova, Romania, Italy.
The trade value of the drugs, on the black outlet market, seized by the Romanian border policemen in 2008 - 2009, exceeds the amount of 12 million Euros.
For annihilating some networks of trafficking in drugs, as well as for detecting and detaining the traffickers, the border policemen in collaboration with other authorized institutions in the country, carried out informational-operative activities, and during the investigations, they used a series of procedures specific for this actions - operative surveillance, stakeout and including undercover investigators.
From the recorded casuistic it was ascertained that for the transportation of the drugs from the producing countries to the consuming ones, the traffickers use different modalities to hide the drugs, according to the transported quantities:
in travel bags specially arranged (with double bottom); in places specially created inside the means of transportation; in the stomach of persons, the drugs are swollen by the carriers under the form of pellets (capsules); other ingenious methods (camouflaged in clothes hangers, cloth, jars with chocolate foam, chips bags, etc.),all the methods are aimed not to be suspected by the authorities or not to be able to detect them with the specific equipment existing in the border crossing points.
In 2008, through the exchange of operative data and information, the Romanian border policemen - anti-drug officers within the General Inspectorate of Border Police - Directorate for Countering Cross-border Crime - contributed to the seizure of more than 660 kg of drugs on the territories of other states, such as: Argentina, Turkey, Netherlands, Belgium, Peru.
To that effect, it was realized a permanent and operative collaboration, in both ways, with the foreign liaison officers authorized at Bucharest, as well as with the law enforcement authorities from U.S.A., Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Turkey and Romania’s neighbouring countries.
Thus, the annihilation of certain networks of trafficking in drugs, which were acting on the Romanian territory, was succeeded, as well as the detection and detention of international traffickers (including Romanian carriers) by the similar institutions from other states.
As a result of the undertaken actions, and due to the efficient cooperation and the operative exchange of information, the Romanian Border Police is appreciated by the similar structures of other states as a credible partner in the fight against trafficking in drugs.
We present the following significant cases recorded during 2008 - 2009:
Network of drug traffickers acting on the
Turkish-Romanian route, dismantled by the anti-drug border
policemen
In February 2009, the officers within the Directorate for
Countering Cross-border Crime (D.C.I.T.) within the General
Inspectorate of Border Police, together with the D.I.I.C.O.T.
Prosecutors and with the support of the Romanian Intelligence
Service (S.R.I.), managed to dismantle a network of drug
traffickers (after monitoring approximately 3 months), who
introduced and traded important quantities of heroin in
Romania.
The leader of the network - Turkish citizen Halil Deveci - was
apprehended for the second time by the border policemen within the
Directorate for Countering Cross-border Crime; in 2006 he was
charged with committing international trafficking in drugs, because
he had organized a transport of over 3.5 kg of heroin from Turkey
to Romania, file in which the Court disposed to be trailed in
freedom.
Under these conditions, the Turkish citizen Halil Deveci considered
that he could carry on his criminal activity, thus, immediately
after his exit from arrest, he recruited two Romanian citizens -
Aurelian B., aged 27, from Bacau County and Iulian P., aged 32,
from Bucharest - whom he "asked for their support" in order to
transport heroin from Turkey to Romania, in exchange of certain
amounts of money, between 500 and 1.000 Euro, for each transport
(the transportation costs were also "reimbursed" by the Turkish
citizen).
After he entered in the possession of the heroin, the Turkish
citizen contacted the beneficiary of the "merchandise" - Vasilica
D., known as "Carmen", from Bucharest - who, in 2006, was detained
by the anti-drug border policemen and now she is being trailed in
freedom in the same case in which Halil Deveci was involved.
At the moment of the meeting between the Turkish citizen and
Vasilica D., who is established in Bucharest, the border policemen
organized the flagrant and the two persons were detained. In the
travel bag a total quantity of approximately 2 kg. of heroin was
found. Simultaneously, the other two heroin transporters were also
detained - Aurelian B. and Iulian P.
It was ascertained that the heroin - amounting to 60.000 Euro - was
destined for the market in Bucharest, Vasilica D. being one of the
main drug dealers selling the "merchandise" to the street dealers
from Bucharest.
The heroin - amounting to 60.000 Euro - was destined for the market
in Bucharest; in the network were also involved main dealers
selling the "merchandise" to the street dealers from Bucharest. If
the heroin had reached the market, the entire network would have
gained a "profit" of over 200.000 Euro.
The four persons were detained by D.I.I.C.O.T. prosecutors and
brought before Court which issued preventive arrest warrants for 29
days. If they are found guilty as charged, the persons involved may
be imprisoned up to 25 years.
Network of trafficking in cocaine from Dominican
Republic to Western Europe, dismantled by the Romanian border
policemen
The anti-drug border policemen within the General Inspectorate of
Border Police - Directorate for Countering Cross-border Crime and
Constanta Directorate of Border Police, under the coordination of
D.I.I.C.O.T. - Constanta Territorial Unit and with the support of
Romanian Intelligence Service (S.R.I.) - Constanta County
Directorate, identified a network of drug traffickers which was
dealing with cocaine transportation from Dominican Republic to
Western Europe.
The method used by the carriers (most of them Romanian citizens)
was new for our co-nationals, respectively, swallowing cocaine
pellets, and thus, using their bodies as "transportation mean". For
each swallowed pellet and transported to the destination, a carrier
received 50 Euro (the total amount for a transport was
approximately 5.000 Euro).
The persons who accepted this proposal were transported to
Dominican Republic, where, initially, for a certain period of time,
were subject to some "exercises" meant to develop their skills
necessary for drug transportation through this method.
In November 2008, on Aurel Vlaicu Airport, the Romanian border
policemen managed to detain the leader of the network, the Romanian
citizen Cristian C., aged 22. Another three Romanian citizens who
swallowed each approximately 1 kg. of cocaine were detained by the
French authorities, based on the information provided by the
Romanian border policemen.
Cristian C. was brought before Court with the proposal of
preventive arrest for 29 days.
A citizen from Bucharest, wanted for 13 years by
the Australian authorities for trafficking in drugs from Latin
America to Australia and other West-European states, was detained
by the Romanian border policemen
The Romanian citizen - T. Vasile, aged 45, from Bucharest - the
leader of an important organization of cross-border crime dealing
with trafficking in drugs from Latin America to Australia and
West-European states (among which the Netherlands) was detained by
the Romanian border policemen, in October 2008.
Together with him, another two Romanians, his "lieutenants" -
Alexandru Z., aged 25 and Laura K., aged 31 - who had the role to
recruit Romanian carriers and to send them to South America in
order to take and transport the merchandise to the states from
Southern and Western Europe, were identified and detained.
From the investigations carried out by the border policemen and the
data obtained from the foreign partners - D.E.A. - U.S.A. and the
authorities from the Netherlands and Australia - it was established
that the leader of the network was wanted for 13 years by the
Australian authorities because he was eluding the execution of a
penalty privative of freedom for actions regarding the import and
possession of cocaine.
Starting with 1995, the criminal group coordinated by the Romanian
citizen organized at least 18 cocaine transports from Latin America
to Australia, the amounts of money for facilitating the transports
exceed 1 million dollars.
The role of the citizen from Bucharest was to intermediate the
selling - buying of the drugs, having direct relations both with
the suppliers from South America and with the "beneficiaries" from
Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy etc. In order not to
risk, he did not get involved in the transportation of the
"merchandise" to the destination countries; the task was for the
"carriers" under his coordination, most of them were Romanian
citizens.
The carriers were recruited and "processed" (were sent to take the
drugs from South America and taught how and where to transport them
to the destination countries), by the two "lieutenants", with whom
the leader was keeping a permanent connection.
As a result of certain searches carried out at the domicile, under
the coordination of D.I.I.C.O.T. - Constanta Territorial Unit, the
three persons were detained and brought before the Court which
issued preventive arrest for 29 days.
Impressive heroin seizure at the border with
Romania and Ukraine
At the beginning of January 2008, after some ample investigations,
in cooperation with the German authorities, with the support of the
Customs employees and under the coordination of D.I.I.C.O.T.
Prosecutors, the anti-drug officers within G.I.B.P. realized one of
the most important drug seizures, which were destined for the
outlet market from Western Europe.
As a result of the operations carried out, near the border with
Ukraine (Halmeu Border Crossing Point, Satu Mare County),
approximately 132 kg. of heroine, hidden in the chassis of a
freight vehicle driven by the Turkish citizen Mehmet Ozaktas, aged
47, were seized.
The suspicions of the authorities occurred both from the route made
by the driver (Ukraine - Romania) and from the fact that he
subsequently stated that he did not know the exact destination of
the travel.
After the detailed check, 254 packets containing a brown substance
were discovered in hiding places manufactured directly in the
chassis of the freight vehicle. As a result of the preliminary
tests, the substance, totally weighting approximately 131.4 kg.,
reacted positively at heroin.
The value of the drugs on the consumer market was estimated at over
10 million Euros.
84 kg of heroin, amounting to 4 million Euros,
were discovered in Nadlac
In January 2008, after a few months of investigations, the
anti-drug officers within G.I.B.P., together with the employees
within the Romanian Intelligence Service and the National Customs
Authority, under the coordination of D.I.I.C.O.T. prosecutors,
dismantled an important international network of trafficking in
drugs acting on the Turkish-Romanian-Western Europe route.
Thus, after carrying out the operations, in Nadlac B.C.P., Arad
County, approximately 84 kg. of heroin, hidden in the walls of a
freight vehicle trailer, were discovered.
The freight vehicle driven by the Romanian citizen Costel C., aged
36, was transporting, according to the documents, 21 tons of
oranges, from Turkey to Romania. In order to identify the members
of the network on the Romanian territory, the border policemen
allowed the entry in the country of the TIR and started to monitor
the transport. Thus, it was established that after the oranges were
unloaded in Bucharest, the vehicle stationed in a place near the
Capital, for several days, after which on 21.01.2008, left empty to
Arad, with the intention to get to Germany - it was stated to our
employees from Nadlac B.C.P.
Together with the Customs employees, the border policemen checked
in detail the transportation mean and discovered 160 packets hidden
in a wall of the trailer, under the refrigerating device,
containing approximately 84 kg. of white substance which proved to
be heroin. The drugs were very well dissimulated in a compartment
especially manufactured and were protected with lead foil, in order
not to be detected at an eventual scanning with the specific
equipment. Their value on the consumer market was estimated at over
4 million Euros.
The organizer of the transport - Y. Muammer, aged 46 - was detained
by the border policemen (G.I.B.P.) a few months later, as a result
of ample investigations carried out in collaboration with the
Romanian Intelligence Service and under the coordination of
D.I.I.C.O.T.
At the moment of the arrest, the person involved - who was living
in Bucharest - indentified himself with a false Romanian identity
card, upon him were also found another identity documents, also
false (Bulgarian passport, a Bulgarian identity card, a German and
Bulgarian driving license). He was brought before Court by the
D.I.I.C.O.T. prosecutors, with the proposal of preventive arrest
for 29 days, for committing high risk drug trafficking, introducing
risk drugs in the country, false and use of false.