Two Moldovan citizens arrested for EU border human trafficking
A migrant smuggling network, which was transporting individuals from Afro-Asian countries towards Romania to facilitate their illegal entry into the European Union (EU), has been dismantled in Ungheni, a Moldovan city located on the border with the EU.
Two citizens of Moldova were detained after they allegedly demanded €4,500 from a Nepalese citizen for an illegal border crossing.
The operation was conducted by the Moldovan Border Police, supported by a special investigative unit and led by the Ungheni District Prosecutor's Office.
"Two members of the group, both Moldovan citizens, acted as smugglers responsible for transporting migrants from Afro-Asian countries to the Romanian border—a key gateway into the EU," the official statement read. Their goal was to help the migrants cross the border illegally.
Nepalese Migrant Apprehended Near the EU Border
One documented case involved a 31-year-old Nepalese national. Network members reportedly convinced him they could help him reach a European country using Moldova as a transit country, in exchange for the fee of €4,500.
"Border police officers from the Ungheni Sector detained the young Nepalese man near the historic Eiffel Bridge in Ungheni municipality, just as he intended to illegally cross the Moldovan-Romanian border," the institution detailed.
Following special investigation measures, the police identified the suspects who had transported the migrant from Chișinău, the capital, to Ungheni. Consequently, the vehicle used in the criminal activity was seized and impounded, with prosecutors requesting a court order for sequestration.
The two suspects, aged 35 and 31, were detained for 72 hours and face a proposal for preventive arrest.
They are being investigated for the organization of illegal migration (a form of human trafficking), an offense punishable by 5 to 12 years in prison and a fine ranging from 300,000 to 400,000 Moldovan lei (approximately €15,000 – €20,000).
Investigations are ongoing to establish all the circumstances and identify every person involved in this criminal activity.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
