The suspected leader of the human trafficking ring is a 35-year-old man who comes from a criminal family. He recruited around 30 members, some of whom were family members, and coordinated the activities of the group. 

Victims would be lured in using the “lover boy” method and forced into prostitution through emotional manipulation and physical violence. The victims would be transported to Germany and other EU Member States where they were sexually exploited by the group. The criminal group rented various properties for their illicit activities. To date, approximately 30 victims have been identified by the authorities. 

The investigation revealed that the criminal group obtained over EUR 3 million from their human trafficking activities. They collected their illicit income through bank transfers, rapid cash-transfer or collect them directly from their victims. 

To hide their criminal activities from the authorities, the group worked together with two police officer. One officer provided the group with information regarding a complaint filed by one of their victims and the other officer ensure that the criminal investigation into the group was stalled. Additionally, the second officer disclosed information of the investigation to the group helping them avoid the authorities. 

While the criminal group tried to avoid justice, Romanian and German authorities worked tirelessly to collect evidence and uncover the group’s activities. A joint investigation team set up at Eurojust ensured that prosecutors could work together in real time and plan a joint action day to stop the human trafficking ring. During a joint action day on 5 November, 36 searches took place in Romania and 13 searches in Germany. Authorities were able to collect important evidence that will now be analysed for the continuation of the international investigation. In Romania, 15 accused persons were apprehended of which 14 have been presented to a court to be arrested and one was placed under judicial control.

The actions were carried out by the following authorities:

• Germany: Public Prosecutor's Office of Nuremberg-Fürth; Central Franconia Police Headquarters - Criminal Investigation Department 4 - Commissariat 41; Heilbronn Police Headquarters - Criminal Investigation Inspectorate 4 - Department -B/OK-; Stuttgart Police Headquarters - Criminal Police Directorate 1 - Department 12
• Romania: Prosecution Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice; Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism - Central Office; Directorate for Combating Organized Crime – Anti-Human Trafficking Service; Bucharest Organized Crime Brigade; Ploiești Organized Crime Brigade; Ilfov Organized Crime Service; Buzău Organized Crime Service; forensic specialists from the National Institute of Forensic Science; Gendarmerie Special Intervention Brigade; General Directorate of the Gendarmerie for the Municipality of Bucharest