Jan 26 2007
FOUR ROMANIANS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN EU COUNTRIES
TIMISOARA, Romania: Four Romanians were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, money laundering and electronics theft in European Union countries, police said Wednesday.
Authorities detained the four, two brothers and their wives, on Tuesday in the western city of Buzias, a few months after police began investigations, said Cornel Iures, spokesman for a local police brigade tasked with fighting organized crime.
Iures said the four began operating in 2003, when Romania was not part of the European bloc, in countries like France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands. Twenty accomplices in the Balkan country are also involved in the case, said Iures.
The suspects had allegedly trafficked several women to France and stolen electronic equipment in various countries that they later sold in Romania, which joined the EU on Jan. 1.
Romanian authorities cooperated with EU authorities into the case, Iures said, adding that investigations continue.
The Associated Press Published: January 24, 2007 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/24/europe/EU-GEN-Romania-Organized-Crime.php
