Romanian prosecutors search 42 addresses in customs fraud and laundering probe with FBI

The raids

Prosecutors from DIICOT's Constanța territorial service and organised crime police carried out 42 home searches on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The searches took place in Argeș, Vâlcea and Dolj counties and in Bucharest. The case concerns the setting up of an organised criminal group and the use of falsified transport or commercial documents at the customs authority. Officers from organised crime brigades in Pitești, Bucharest, Craiova, Alba Iulia and Vâlcea took part, alongside gendarmes and Romanian Customs Authority staff from the Constanța Sud border office. Libertatea described the operation as a large deployment of resources from Interior Ministry structures and the Customs Authority. The reports do not mention detentions.

The customs scheme

According to DIICOT, several Romanian citizens set up the group during 2021 to make money by presenting forged documents to customs. The documents were meant to reduce the customs duties owed on imports of luxury cars from the United States. The communiqué states the case in these words:

The evidence gathered shows that during 2021, several Romanian perpetrators initiated and set up an organised crime group, in order to obtain material profits by presenting falsified documents to customs.

Libertatea wrote that the group aimed for substantial financial gain by evading customs rules and putting expensive cars on the Romanian market at artificially low costs. The key dates reported so far are set out below.

1. 2021Group allegedly formed, using forged documents to cut duties on US luxury car imports
2. Oct 14, 202642 home searches carried out in Argeș, Vâlcea, Dolj and Bucharest

Alleged offences in the US and laundering in Romania

Investigators, working with the FBI, say members of the group operated on US territory, where they allegedly committed thefts, fraud and robberies. The proceeds were then allegedly laundered in Romania through purchases of real estate, luxury cars and jewellery. Libertatea reported that the investigation grew into a cross-border case after Romanian investigators worked closely with FBI representatives. According to Libertatea, the network's activity was not limited to dodging duties at the Port of Constanța. These allegations come from the prosecutors' communiqué and the media reports that repeat it.

What happens next

Those under investigation are to be heard at DIICOT's Constanța office, where prosecutors will decide which preventive measures are needed, according to Libertatea. Ziare.com, citing Știri pe Surse, reports that a leader of the Vâlcea organisation of the Partida Romilor Pro-Europa is reportedly among those targeted. The official statements quoted in these reports do not name any suspect. The reports also note that those under investigation are presumed innocent and enjoy the procedural rights set out in the Code of Criminal Procedure. No charges, convictions or final findings appear in the reports so far.