Law enforcement agencies in Romania and Belgium carried out a joint operation against a criminal group involved in the theft of freight shipments during transport. On 3 November 2026, 16 suspects were detained: 11 in Romania and 5 in Belgium. The five suspects arrested in Belgium have been placed in pre-trial detention.
According to the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), the perpetrators posed as a legitimate transport company and appropriated goods from approximately 70 freight shipments. The group managed or controlled several companies that secured contracts to transport goods within Romania and abroad. Once they received the goods, the criminals stole the entire shipment.
The stolen goods included electronics, household appliances, raw materials, grain, cosmetics, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and other consumer products. Most of the thefts took place in Romania and Belgium, although shipments were also targeted in other European countries. According to Romanian investigative authorities (DIICOT), the estimated damage amounts to approximately €9 million.
Investigators established that the group was formed in March 2024 by five individuals, after which around 30 additional members joined. Each member had a clearly defined role: identifying and securing contracts for high-value shipments, transferring cargo between vehicles, escorting transports, and selling the stolen goods.
The criminals used several methods. In some cases, the cargo was transferred to another vehicle, after which the driver reported it as stolen en route. In others, they swapped trailers and licence plates. They also staged trailer thefts: a driver would claim a mechanical breakdown, leave the trailer “for repairs,” and later report that it had disappeared. To support the scheme, the group forged identity documents, transport paperwork, vehicle registration certificates, and licence plates.
Since February 2026, Belgian and Romanian authorities have been cooperating through a joint investigation team established at Eurojust. On 3 November, 65 searches were carried out in Romania, during which important evidence was seized and suspects and witnesses were interviewed. The investigation is ongoing.
The operation is seen as an example of successful cross-border cooperation in combating organised crime in the freight sector, where fraudulent schemes involving “fake carriers” pose a growing threat to logistics companies across Europe.
