Eurojust joint investigation team dismantles organised crime group that caused damages of more than €600 000
On 9 April, the Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, Vâlcea Territorial Office, Romania, and the Detmold Public Prosecutor’s Office in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, conducted the second stage of the joint investigations, with the support of the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) and Bulgarian national authorities. Fifteen simultaneous house searches were performed in Bucharest, other Romanian cities and Bulgaria. Numerous computers, telephones and other evidence were seized, and significant amounts of money, cars and other assets were identified. Twelve suspects were heard, three of whom were formally accused and subject to preventive measures.
The OCG, which was composed of Romanian nationals, allegedly initiated its criminal activities in spring 2018 in Vâlcea County. For more than one year, the OCG was selling cars via the Internet to victims in all German-speaking countries. By faking the websites of well-known companies, members of the OCG received payments in accounts opened outside Romania, using false documentation, and never delivered the cars to the victims. To obtain the criminal proceeds, the OCG members converted the amounts received online into cryptocurrency.
