Bucharest, March 20, 2014 – SELEC granted awards to the law enforcement authorities from the Member States, as an appreciation for the successful cases using Center’s cooperation channels.
SELEC Bi-annual Awards Committee decided to grant the following awards for the second semester of 2013:
First Prize
– Operation LA PIOVRA DEL PATRON, a case in the field of cigarettes production and smuggling, money laundering, brand piracy, fraud etc., involving Republic of Moldova and Romania, which led to the arrest of 38 persons in both countries and detection and seizure of 1 clandestine factory for production of non-filter cigarettes, 1 clandestine cigarettes packing line, 1 improvised installation for alcohol beverages counterfeiting, 382,129 packs of counterfeit cigarettes, 13,911 kg cut tobacco, 2,334,200 paper blanks for “Plugarul” cigarettes brand packs, 2,841,000 MD fiscal stamps, different raw materials for clandestine process of cigarettes manufacturing, 14 vehicles, 110,000 EUR cash, 800 liters counterfeit alcohol, fire weapons, side arms and ammunition, 200 computing systems and memory devices, 118 mobile phones, 52 SIM cards, 4 photo cameras, 2 video cameras, 3 memory devices for surveillance cameras, 6 collection watches, 10 grams of cannabis. Estimated value of seizures was 3.5 million EUR and the estimated budget loss for Romania was of 4 million EUR.
– Operation VIA DIAGONALIS, acase in the field of trafficking of goods with historical and cultural value, between Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Serbia which succeeded with the arrest of 3 persons, 10 members of an organized crime group being identified, and 2 passenger cars confiscated. Cultural/historical objects in value of approximate 1 million EUR were recovered.
Second Prize
– Operation RADIO, a migrants smuggling case developed by Hungary and Republic of Serbia which conducted to the arrest of 15 persons in both countries who smuggled about 40 migrants in at least 8 occasions and seizure of passenger cars, money and communication means in Republic of Serbia. Parallel financial investigation started in this country.
– Operation LIRA, a drug trafficking case involving Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Serbia, which led to the arrest of 3 persons and seizure of 11.5 kg heroin. More than 12 persons were investigated.
Third Prize
– Operation BOS, in the field of customs fraud, tax evasion, smuggling, money laundering, etc., among Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Republic of Turkey, with the following results: arrest of 9 persons out which 7 with imposed detention order, and seizure of cash money, stamps, financial and business documents and other documents which were used as evidences. The estimated budget loss for Bosnia and Herzegovina during 6 months period was approximate 1.75 million EUR. New cases were developed starting from this investigation.
– A case in the field of smuggling of livestock, involving the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Albania, which led to criminal charges pressed against 32 persons; seizure of 90,930 USD, 1,390 CHF, 323,445 EUR, 762,500 MKD, 2 forged banknotes of 20 EUR, 8 motor vehicles (5 trucks and 3 cars), 66 mobile phones, 68 SIM Cards, 37 holders for SIM Cards, 4 fire arms, 135 bullets, 2 live animals, 114 livestock passports, 4 ear marks, 55 medical cartons for livestock, 1 pliers for ears, 14 pieces notebooks for evidence, 19 paper for evidence, 7 delivery notes, 1 passport etc.
– Operation BONA-LAMA, a drug trafficking case developed by Hungary and Republic of Croatia, which succeeded with the arrest of 3 persons in Hungary and seizure of 621.489 grams high purity cocaine (73%) with market value of 100,000 EUR and seizure of 3,500 EUR.
– Operation TARGOVTSI, a case in the field of skimming, preparation and usage of counterfeited bank cards, involving Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Turkey and Republic of Slovenia, which conducted to the arrest of 3 persons and seizure of skimming devices used for copying bank cards and electronic devices with information of the copied bank cards.
