Two founders of a Hunedoara retreat foundation detained over drug trafficking probe

The investigation

Romanian prosecutors from the DIICOT Hunedoara office, working with police from the organised crime unit in Hunedoara and a brigade in Alba Iulia, are investigating a woman aged 56 and a man aged 58. The two are members of the same family and founded a foundation presented as a community exploring consciousness, self-knowledge, healing and inner transformation. Police and prosecutors detained them on 28 October. Prosecutors say that in October 2026 they held drugs at the foundation's headquarters in the commune of Boșorod, Hunedoara county, with the aim of trafficking them. The case concerns high-risk and very high-risk drugs, and the suspects are under criminal investigation.

The retreat and the raid

According to investigators, the foundation's activity included retreats, workshops, online programmes, meditation and individual sessions. Its public content pointed to a strong spiritual and esoteric component, with references to shamanism, alchemy, sacred ceremonies, healing plants, medicinal herbs, herbs and mushrooms. Police say the foundation organised a retreat between 15 and 18 October 2026, and several people signed up at the standard participation price of 3,565 lei. On 16 October, officers and prosecutors executed a search warrant at the headquarters hosting the event. They seized about 710 millilitres of liquid containing DMT, more than 140 grams of coca leaves and a quantity of cannabis. Investigators also made 44,975 euro and 18,750 lei unavailable to the suspects.

What investigators found on site

When investigators entered the centre, the suspects and participants were seated on chairs in a circle. The room had a flipchart and several mattresses stacked on top of each other, covered with white sheets. Prosecutors describe the retreats in their own terms, and the foundation's marketing leaned on healing and emotional release. Investigators say the retreats were promoted through this language.

“Several retreats organised by the foundation were identified, some promoted through a discourse focused on healing, emotional release, transformation, inner reconnection and development of consciousness.”

The articles do not say how many people attended the retreat, and they do not say whether any participant faces charges or is under investigation.

Next steps in the case

On Thursday, 29 October, prosecutors referred the case to the rights and freedoms judge at the Hunedoara Tribunal. They proposed house arrest for the two suspects for a period of 30 days. The articles do not report a ruling on that proposal, so the status of the suspects after the request remains open. The case is an active anti-drug investigation, and the sums seized so far remain part of the file.