Romania reports 25% rise in drug‑related crimes and multiple high‑profile arrests

Romanian authorities said drug‑related offences increased by 24.7% in the first five months of 2026, with 6,666 incidents recorded compared with the same period last year. The Ministry of Internal Affairs highlighted 456 operational actions, 1,278 home searches, the dismantling of ten organised crime groups and the seizure of 498 kg of high‑risk drugs, over 24,000 tablets and more than 117 kg of illicit plant material.

In parallel, law‑enforcement actions across the country led to several notable arrests. In Bistrița, a 35‑year‑old Romanian citizen wanted by German authorities was detained after police, acting on a European arrest warrant, found him on an apartment balcony in an inflatable pool. He faces extradition to Germany. Separate operations in Cluj uncovered two suspects caught burying about 2.5 kg of the synthetic drug 4‑CMC near a hydro‑electric dam, while a father‑and‑son team in Chișinău, Moldova, were arrested for running a Telegram‑based drug network, each facing up to 15 years in prison. In Pitești, investigators identified minors among 14 people charged with large‑scale trafficking of high‑risk substances such as 3CMC and 4CMC.

These coordinated efforts illustrate a broader crackdown on drug trafficking that is affecting both Romania and neighbouring Moldova, with authorities emphasizing reinforced investigative capacities, preventive school programmes and increased use of digital tools to track illicit trade.