Romanian and Hungarian authorities have successfully dismantled a human trafficking ring that had been exploiting vulnerable individuals for over a decade. The traffickers preyed primarily on men and women from Romania, especially those recently released from foster care, offering them the false promise of well-paid work and good living conditions in Budapest. Instead, the victims were subjected to grueling, slave-like labor at a waste-recycling plant near the Hungarian capital, where they worked for long hours, often in dangerous conditions, with little or no pay.
Police investigations revealed that the victims, many of whom were from foster care, were lured with promises of relatively high salaries and decent accommodation, only to find themselves living in appalling conditions. The traffickers housed the victims in overcrowded rooms, where up to 25 people were forced to share a single space. These rooms were unhygienic, and the workers were subjected to harsh, forced labor, with many working at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week, often in freezing temperatures and without proper clothing or protective gear.
The traffickers used both psychological manipulation and physical violence to control their victims, forcing them to work under intolerable conditions. The victims were also deprived of adequate food and medical care, and their personal documents were confiscated to prevent them from escaping. According to Romanian prosecutors specializing in organized crime, the traffickers specifically targeted individuals from foster care centers, exploiting their vulnerability to easily coerce and manipulate them.
As part of the investigation, authorities arrested eight individuals, including six members of the same family from the town of Sfantu Gheorghe in Romania’s Szeklerland region, which has a large Hungarian community. The trafficking ring operated with the involvement of both Romanian and Hungarian perpetrators. On Tuesday, 70 Hungarian police officers carried out coordinated dawn raids in Budapest and several locations in Romania. During these raids, they seized significant evidence, including documents, vehicles, and a large amount of cash and gold jewelry used by the trafficking group. Romanian police also raided homes in the villages of Ozun and Chilieni, uncovering further details of the operation.
Authorities have identified more than 30 victims of the trafficking ring, and investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the operation. The case highlights the vulnerability of people coming from foster care systems and the lengths to which criminal networks will go to exploit them.
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